Exploring Van Dijk: Critical Discourse Analysis’s Aims

Nurul Fathia Salma

English Education Dept. Faculty of Teachers Training and Education
[email protected]

ABSTRACT: This paper is linked to the all science of the experts which discuss
about Introduction to Critical Discourse Analysis where includes the definitions,
the manner to do Critical Discourse analysis guided by the framework. Based on
the theories of Michel Foucault, “discourse analysis is focusing on power of
relationships in society as expressed by means of language and practices”.
Besides, there are five steps are based on the identification of rules in using
"Foucauldian discourse analysis" according to Kendall and Wickham.
Key words : CDA, definition, aims, framework.

I. Introduction

On the article of Frohmann (1994) “Discourse analysis is a way of

approaching and thinking about a problem provide a tangible answer to problems
based on scientific research, and enables us to understand the conditions behind a
specific problem and make us realize that the essence of that problem, and its
resolution”. Indeed, “DA provides a basic methodology to describes and analyze
how the structure and content of the text encodes ideas and the relation among the
ideas itself that are present in the text, systematically”. (Hamuddin, 2012)
In this article, the author will discuss about interdisciplinary approach to
the study of discourse that views language as a form of social aplication called
Critical discourse analysis (CDA). According to Van Dijk (2004) “Critical
Discourse analysis is a type of discourse analysis research that primarily studies
the way social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted, reproduced,
and resisted by text and talk in social and political contexts”. This study
suggested Discourse Analysis, more particularly written Discourse Analysis since
we are dealing with newspaper, in collaboration with CDA, to form a worthy
framework and methodology could helps analyse the news from the critical point
of view. The idea of forming Discourse Analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis
in analyzing news among others discipline. Ruth Wodak in her terminology said
(Kendall: 2007) "this paper might call as "integrated interdisciplinarity":
integrating approaches for an object under investigation in innovative ways.
This paper may find a more or less critical perspective in such diverse
areas as pragmatics, conversation analysis, narrative analysis, rhetoric, stylistics,
sociolinguistics, ethnography, or media analysis however using CDA framework
shall be the right choice to works under written DA methodology."

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 It emerged from 'critical linguistics' be expanded on 1970s at the
University of East Anglia, and the terms are not often interchangeable. The major
contribution of this study is called Ruth Wodak. Besides, Norman Fairclough who
the Lancaster school of linguists was the most prominent figure of the first
developing of CDA.
According to Van Dijk (1995), CDA is a special approach in discourse
analysis, components, and consequences of Ulinnuha et al., In this paper, I will
describe the definitions of Critical Discourse Analysis according to the experts
especially Teun A. van Dijk. Besides, we need to study how to implement critical
discourse analysis. So, we necessary to know the theoretical Frameworks in CDA.

II. Definitions and Characteristic of CDA

The phenomena of social are linguistics, in other words, the language

activity that take place on social contexts and it is a part of the processes and
practices.
The first time in studying CDA, we have to know what Discourse Analysis
is. According to “wikipedia, in semantics and discourse analysis, the meaning of
discourse is a generalization of conceptual in conversation within each context of
communication”. Meanwhile, analysis is the process to solve a complex topic into
smaller parts in order to acquire a better comprehension of it.
Thus, an interdisciplinary approach to the study of discourse that regarded
languages as a form of social practice called Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).
It has become the general etiquette for a particular approach to the study of talk
and text, appearing from Critical Semiotic, Critical Linguistic, and commonly
from a socio-politically aware and the manner of opposition in enquire language,
discourse and also communication. In studying a language and discourse studies,
surely there are many fields, approaches, subdisciplines, and others. as well as in
the case of studying CDA, it is not easy to limit the specific principles, practices,
goals, theories or methods of CDA. However, in studying CDA, it is usually
characterized by the following features:
CDA is part of critical studies about humanities and social science for
examples; in sociology, psychology, mass communication research, law literature
and political science. It is usually discuss the effective about the study relevant
social problems, such as those of sexism, colonialism, racism and other forms of
social inequality. Much work in CDA is about the underlying ideologies that play
a role in the against enequality. Besides, it focuses in the relation and also
interelated between Discourse and Society, such as (Politcs, culture, economic,
Social, etc). When learning the role of discourse especially on society, CDA
particularly focuses on (groups) relation of power resisted by social group
members through talk and text.

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 CDA commonly focuses on the strategies of manipulation, legitimation, the
manufacture of consent and other discursive ways to influence the minds (indirect
actions) of people in the interest oof the powerful. Besides, a school, a
subdicipline, or field of discourse analysis does not characterized by CDA,
however it categorize an critical approach, position or the corner of studying talk
and text explicitly. It (may) pay attention to all dimention of discourse, such as
grammar (phonology, syntax, semantics), schematics organization, strategies of
pragmatic, speech acts, interaction, etc. In the other hand, it also pay attention to
other dimentions like semiotic (sound, music, picture, film, videos, gesture, etc)
on communicative events.
Indeed, studies in CDA try to formulateor sustan an overall perspective
solidarity with dominated groups, e.g., by formulating strategic proposals for the
enactment and development of counter-power and counter-ideologies in practices
of challenge and resistance.
Based on the theories of Michel Foucault, discourse analysis is focusing on
power of relationships in society as expressed by means of language and
practices. Besides focusing on the significance of a given discourse, the
differentiator characteristic in this approach is the emphasis on the power of
relationships. These are expressed through behavior and language, the relationship
between language and power. So, This analysis try to comprehend how
individuals envisage the world, and learn categorizations, politics, ideology, social
and also personal and institutional relationships .
Studies used the Foucauldian discourse analysis can look at how the figures
used language to propose their power dominance, and request obedience and
honor from those subordinate to them. In a specific example, a study may look at
the language used by teachers towards students, or military officers towards
conscripts. This approach could also be used to study how language is used as a
form of reciprocal to those in power.
III. Requirements for Conducting CDA
Critical discourse Analysis needs to fulfill a number of requirements in
order to effectively actualize its aims: First, Critical Discourse Analysis has to be
“better” than other research in order to be accepted. Second, It focuses essensially
on political issues and social problems, rather than on current fashions and
paradigms. In other requirements ie Empirically adequate the critical analysis of
social problems is usually multidisciplinary. Fourth, rather than purely describe
discourse structures, Critical Discourse Analysis make efforts to account them in
terms of characteristics of social interaction and especially social structure. More
particularlly, Critical Discourse Analysis concentrate on the ways discourse
structures figure, ensure, legitimate, reproduce, reasonable, or challenge the links
of dominance and power in society.
Fairclough and Wodak (1997) sum up the main concepts of Critical
Discourse Analysis as follows: First, Critical Discourse Analysis discuss socials

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 and politics problems. Second, power relations are erratic (discursive). Third
discourse is a form of society and culture. Fourth, discourse carry out ideological
works. Fifth, discourse is historical, Sixth, the link between society and text are
mediated. Seventh, Critical Discourse analysis is interpretative and explanatory.
The last, Critical Discourse Analysis is a form of social proceeding or action.

IV. The Manners to Do CDA

The current news either online or printed news can be utilize as a great
source of learning analyzing language in use and it also present interesting
material to regard. To bring current issues and hot news taken from media such as
news in social media , magazine or news paper need more than just interpretive
or catching specific information by way of reading, it needs a second approach to
espouse Critical Discourse Analysis.
Hence we need to bring the students to more conscious and critical to the
news posted in the media (papers or media social ), hence we need Critical
Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework. Thereto, it can help the students in ELT
(English Language Teaching) classroom grow more obverse in seeing the news
and through the news. Thus, the students can learn to see news at least from 3
different level in Discourse Analysis class by using Critical Discourse Analysis
based on Fairclough’s three dimensional frameworks, among others : text,
discursive practice and social practice.
Students usually will want to know “how to do CDA”. Firstly, formulate the
proposals for successful strategies of research. Second, we need to identify which
structure and strategies of talk and text to attend in order to discover patterns of
manipulation “in” texts theoretically and descriptively. Vice versa, foccusing on
major social, political problems and issues such as sexism and racism, we need to
detail how such forms of inequlity are expressed, enacted, legitimated, and
reproduced by text and talk.
Kendall and Wickham outline five steps in using "Foucauldian discourse
analysis". The first step is a simple admission that discourse is a set of statements
that are organized in a systematic way. The subsequent four steps are based on the
identification of rules on: How those statements are created; what can be said
(written) and what cannot; how the spaces in which new statements can be raised
are created; and making practices material and discursive at the same time.
In brief, CDA needs good theories of the role of discourse in the ratification
and facsimile of resistance and social dominance. More than theories which only
demand descriptive or explanatory sufficiency, however, CDA which is
successful must be effective : in the conclutions, recommendations and the other
interference must work. These are fairly difficult criteria. In that situation, CDA is
not only a scientific practice, but also a scientific research programs. Orientation
questions for frame application, includes : Is this a typical text of its type? , who

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 produced this?; who will read it?; will everyone understand this text in the same
way?; why was it produced?; in what other ways could it have been written?; what
is missing from this text?; how does this text reflect the wider society?; What
could we do about this text if we disagree with it?
V. Theoretical Frameworks
In the aims of Critical Discourse analysis mentioned atop, there are many
types of Critical Discourse Analysis, and these may be analytically and
theoretically quite diverse. Critical analysis of news reports in the press or of
lessons and teaching at school are very different from Critical analysis of
conversation. Therefore, the typical vocabulary of many scholars in Critical
Discourse Analysis will show such ideas as "power", "dominance", "ideology",
"hegemony", "gender", "class", "discrimination", "race", "interests", "institutions",
"reproduction", "social order", and "social structure". In this part, The author will
focus in a number of basic concepts themselves and devise a theoretical
framework that critically relate with discourse, society and cognition.
1. Micro v.s Macro
Discourse, language use, communication and verbal interaction belong to
the microlevel of the social array. Power, inequality and dominance between
social groups are in particular terms that belong to a macrolevel of
analysis.It means that Critical Discourse analysis should theoretically bridge
the well-known “gap” between micro and macro approaches, which is of
course a difference that is a sociological construct in its own right
(Alexander et al. 1987; Knorr-Cetina and Cicourel 1981). There are certain
ways to analyse these levels to arrive at a unified critical analysis as follows:
▪ Members–groups: Language users participate in discourse as a
member of (several) social groups, organisations, or institutions; and
vice versa, groups may act “by” their members.
▪ Actions–process: Social acts of individual actors are thus element of
social processes and group actions, such as newsmaking,
legislationor the propagation of racism.
▪ Context–social structure: Situations of discursive interaction are
similarly part or principle of social structure; for example, a press
conference may be a particular practice of organisations and media
institutions. That is, “local” and more “global” contexts are tightly
related, and both utilize constraints on discourse.

2. Power as Control

A central idea in most critical work on discourse is that of power, and

more particularlly the institutions or social power of groups.
Summarising a complex socia and philosophical analysis, we will define
social power in the terms of control.

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 Finally, this means that those groups who control most dominant
discourse also have more opportunity to control the ideas (minds) and
actions of others. Simplifying these very complicated relationships, the
author can divorce the issue of discursive power into three basic
questions for Critical Discourse Analysis research: How can groups with
more power control the public discourse? ; How does such discourse
control the mind and action of groups which is less powerful? and ;
What are the social effect of such control, such as social dissimilarity?

VI. Power and Access

Power which divided into two kinds are social power and power abuse.
Where social power is (approximately) defined as a form of control of one group
to another, while power abuse further implies that the control is in the interest of
the dominant group, this means that dominant social group members may exercise
such control over talk and text.
Access is defined in terms of their (powerful) social or institutional position
or function and vice versa. and Discourse : Patterns of discourse control and
access are indeed closely associated with social power. That is, discursively
implemented dominance involves preferential access to text and context taken as a
basis or resource of power, comparable to such social resources as wealth,
income, a good job, position, status, knowledge and education.
Thus, whereas ordinary people only have active access to, and control over
such discourse genres as everyday conversations with family members, friends or
colleagues, and more passive access to institutional. For examples : Politicians
have control over, e.g. governmental and parliamentary discourse, and
preferential access to the mass media ; Scholars control academic discourse, such
as lessons, textbooks, courses and scholarly publications. ;Journalists have
control over mass media discourse and preferential access to a host of other
forms of official talk and text, such as press conferences, press releases, reports,
and soon.

VII. Conclusions

Based on the description above, the authors conclude : Critical Discourse

Analysis is a particular approach in discourse analysis which focuses on the result
or consequences of power abuse by dominant groups and institutions. CDA
opposes the abuse of power that is usually done by high officials and institutions
dominant by finding and criticizing mistakes. Critical Discourse Analysis aimed
at yielding ‘emancipation and enlightenment’. Critical Discourse Analysis search
not only to explain and describe , but also to eradicate a particular kind of
fantacy. Even with differing construct of ideology, Critical Theory search to
create awareness in agents of their own needs and concern. (Faiclough and

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 Wodak: 2008) Besides, in conducting discourse analysis we need to identify
which structure and strategies of talk and text to attend in order to discover
patterns of manipulation “in” texts theoretically and descriptively. In addition, the
CDA aims as a research program.
Further, CDA is a type of discourse analytical research that primarily
studies the way social power abuse, dominance, and inequality are enacted,
reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context. It has
a concern with representations of societal issues, hidden agendas, texts that impact
on people’s lives it claims therefore to take an ethical stance in addressing power
imbalances, inequities, social justice agenda to spur readers into resistant and
corrective social action.

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