Since the 1970s we have been accustomed to a discourse of difference and diversity that involves ideas of empowerment, of being seen, being respected, given space, and avoiding discrimination; in the investigation of the way diversity is treated discursively newspaper discourse can be used fruitfully. With this in mind and with a corpus of broadsheet newspapers as a source of data, this paper will be looking at aspects of age as a construct of diversity. The press has always used age as a signifier and as a way of constructing the identity of participants. Age is also interesting in ‘them and us’ discourse in which perceptions can be influenced by either a process of identification with ‘the other’ or an inability to de-centre, that is to stand back, removing themselves from the centre and see themselves as others see them and to see another point of view. We all are, or have been, young and will probably become old so we are, will be, or have been them. The discourse of the old and the young as collective identities is changing. This paper looks at the ways in which this changing discourse is constructed in newspaper discourse (from 1993 to 2010) using the methodology of corpus assisted discourse studies.

Duguid, A.M. (2015). Old and Young: changing evaluations of intergenerational diversity. In Languaging Diversity: Identities, Genres, Discourses (pp. 144-162). Newcastle on Tyne, : Cambridge Scholars PressNewcastle.

Old and Young: changing evaluations of intergenerational diversity

DUGUID, ALISON MARGARET
2015-01-01

Abstract

Since the 1970s we have been accustomed to a discourse of difference and diversity that involves ideas of empowerment, of being seen, being respected, given space, and avoiding discrimination; in the investigation of the way diversity is treated discursively newspaper discourse can be used fruitfully. With this in mind and with a corpus of broadsheet newspapers as a source of data, this paper will be looking at aspects of age as a construct of diversity. The press has always used age as a signifier and as a way of constructing the identity of participants. Age is also interesting in ‘them and us’ discourse in which perceptions can be influenced by either a process of identification with ‘the other’ or an inability to de-centre, that is to stand back, removing themselves from the centre and see themselves as others see them and to see another point of view. We all are, or have been, young and will probably become old so we are, will be, or have been them. The discourse of the old and the young as collective identities is changing. This paper looks at the ways in which this changing discourse is constructed in newspaper discourse (from 1993 to 2010) using the methodology of corpus assisted discourse studies.
2015
1-4438-7122-2
Duguid, A.M. (2015). Old and Young: changing evaluations of intergenerational diversity. In Languaging Diversity: Identities, Genres, Discourses (pp. 144-162). Newcastle on Tyne, : Cambridge Scholars PressNewcastle.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11365/48862