Discourse (The New Critical Idiom)

Discourse (The New Critical Idiom) If language was a simple act of messages and responses our system of understanding would not be riddled with the frustrations, nuances, and idiosyncracies that make communication a veritable time bomb. From Noam Chomsky to Deborah Tannen's use of language deconstruction and understanding, Sara Mills provides readers with a succinct explication of a complex topic. Don't let this little book fool you. It is a concise and well written exposition of the term "discourse." Sara Mills use and understanding of the term both historically and socially make this an invaluable tool to understanding the evolution of the term "discourse" from Foucault down to the systematic analysis of language and structure. She provides a foundation for the term while breaking down the complexities of the Foucauldian discourse theory and applying it to other critical theories that inform the way academics use language as a form of power, knowledge, and understanding. Mills outline moves the reader from the historical use and understanding of the term "discourse" to the process of the structure of discourse all the way to the application of discourse as a medium for critically reading, understanding, and analyzing the context of discourse through the the critical theories of Feminism, Colonial/Post-Colonial, and Sociolinguistic theories. This book packs a punch of formal and informal examples that helps the reader conceptualize the theoretical frameworks presented throughout the reading.