PSYCHOLO GY REVIVALS Discourse Dynamics Critical analysis for social and individual psychology Ian Parker * Psychology Revivals Discourse Dynamics What are discourses? Are discourses ‘real’, and what is real outside language? Originally published in 1992, Ian Parker provides one of the clearest and most systematic introductions to discourse research and the essen­ tial theoretical debates in the area. At the time it was one of the few texts to defend a realist position, discuss accounts of postmodernity and set out criteria for the identification of discourses. Discourse Dynamics is essential reading to anyone interested in project research and an understanding of the theoretical issues involved in discourse analysis. The book will also be of use to students other than those studying psychology. It addresses the concerns of all those look­ ing at qualitative textual research in the human sciences and is still very much relevant today. This page intentionally left blank Discourse Dynamics Critical analysis for social and individual psychology Ian Parker RRoutledge Taylor & Francis Group LONDON AND NEW YORKI First published in 1992 by Routledge This edition first published in 2014 by Rourledge 27 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2FA Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an in forma business © 1992 Ian Parker All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Publisher’s Note The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may Ik* apparent. Disclaimer The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and welcomes correspondence from those they have been unable to contact. A Library of Congress record exists under ISBN: 0415050170 ISBN: 978-0-415-70636-0 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-88859-0 (ebk) Discourse dynamics Critical analysis for social and individual psychology Ian Parker R London and New York First published in 1992 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge a division of Routledge, Chapman and Hall, Inc. 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 © 1992 Ian Parker Typeset from the author’s wordprocessing disks by NWL Editorial Services, Langport, Somerset Printed and bound in Great Britain by Biddles Ltd, Guildford and King’s Lynn All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Parker, Ian 1956- Discourse dynamics. 1. Psycholinguistics I. Title 401.9 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Parker, Ian, 1956- Discourse dynamics/Ian Parker, p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Discourse analysis - Psychological aspects. I. Title. P302.8.P37 1992 90-28866 401'.41 -dc20 CIP ISBN 0-415-05017-0 0-415-05018-9 (pbk) For Ben and Adam Beechey This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgements ix Introduction xi Part I Discourses 1 Discovering discourses, tackling texts 3 Seven criteria for distinguishing discourses 6 Three auxiliary criteria 17 Conclusions and reflections 20 2 Realism, inside and outside texts 23 Realism 25 Powers of discourse 28 Structure 34 Change 37 Part II Cultures 3 Novel narratives of modern times 45 Modernity 48 Modem narratives 50 Changing narratives 56 Discursive changes and textual practices 60 4 Discourse discourse, postmodern psychology 64 After the crisis 65 Discourse and the postmodern: two moves 69 Postmodemity and reflexivity 77 Critical distance 80