Analyzing interaction in meetings:perspectives from critical discourse studies and the discourse-historical approach

Wodak, Ruth Emily (2014) Analyzing interaction in meetings:perspectives from critical discourse studies and the discourse-historical approach. In: Language and communication at work. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 39-70. ISBN 9780198703082

Abstract

This chapter discusses salient concepts of Critical Discourse Studies (CDS) in respect of analyzing organizational communication and discourse with a focus on decision-making. More specifically, this chapter juxtaposes Process Theory with the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA) in CDS. The chapter claims that these two approaches complement each other well and that systematic linguistic analysis could contribute to a more macro-oriented process approach. Some key patterns of interaction in meetings and some discursive strategies which are highly influential in decision-making are illustrated while drawing on the range of meeting data from EU organizations from ethnography and fieldwork. Finally, in the conclusion, the salient implications of such an integrated approach are discussed.