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Discourse analysis
Discourse analysis
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Chapter 0.18
Constitutive Discourses
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Constitutive discourses actively shape our perceptions and understanding of reality by establishing social norms and knowledge structures. Michel Foucault’s theories and social constructivism provide important theoretical foundations for analyzing these discourses and their influence on power dynamics and societal practices.
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konstitutive-diskurse
Update from Jun 25, 2025
An Analysis of Their Definition, Theoretical Foundations, and Effects
Introduction
The concept of discourse has evolved over the past decades into a central analytical tool in the social sciences and humanities. Given the growing recognition that social phenomena must be understood in the context of communication and the production of meaning, discourse analysis is gaining increasing relevance. This report is dedicated to a specific category within discourse research: constitutive discourses. The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive definition, the theoretical foundations, and illustrative examples of constitutive discourses, thereby enabling an in-depth understanding of this complex concept.
Deconstruction of the Terms: Discourse and Constitutive
Definition of 'Discourse'
The term 'discourse' can be etymologically traced back to the Latin 'discursus', which literally means 'to run apart', but in a figurative sense means 'discourse' or 'communication' 1. In an initial understanding, discourse can be rendered as 'treatise, conversation, explanation' 1. However, this original meaning has significantly expanded and differentiated in the scientific contexts of the social sciences and humanities.
A particularly influential conceptualization of discourse comes from Michel Foucault. For Foucault, discourse is primarily understood as a practice that systematically shapes the objects it speaks about 1. He views discourses as instances that determine what can be said and thus create order 1. Discourse, for Foucault, exists only as specific 'discursive formations', which he essentially defines as a certain number of statements exhibiting specific regularities in content and formal nature 1. His concept of discourse encompasses both the rules of emergence and formation as well as the order produced by it. According to Foucault, everything that can be known and said about reality takes the form of discourses. Crucially, he understands discourses as practices that co-constitute the objects they reference and are subject to analyzable rules and processes of change 1.
From a linguistic perspective, discourse is understood as language use that goes beyond the level of the individual sentence and often relates to specific topics or purposes 3. In linguistics, there is a belief that discourses are constitutive for the intellectual shaping of public space and thus play a central role in how we experience, explore, and shape our world through and in language 3. It is emphasized that discourses are significantly determined by their corpora, i.e., collections of texts 3. Linguistic discourse analysis focuses on societal themes and is situated within the framework of language-related constructivism 3.
The sociological perspective views discourse as a linguistic practice in which meanings and knowledge are formed and conveyed within a society 1. Accordingly, discourses are not seen independently and separate from the overall societal conditions, but are conditioned by them and, conversely, influence and shape them 1. Discourse theory in sociology systematically addresses the significance of discourses in the process of societal construction of reality 2. Here, discourses are understood as regulated patterns of order that are inseparably linked with forms of power and in which the construction work is organized 2.
Definition of 'Constitutive'
The adjective 'constitutive' derives from the Latin 'constitutus', meaning 'fundamental', 'bearing', or 'founding' 5. Generally, 'constitutive' describes a prerequisite, a property, or a feature that is essential for the definition, appearance, or success of a person or thing and therefore cannot be omitted 5.
In a legal context, the 'constitutive effect' of a legal act results in the establishment, annulment, or structuring of a right or legal relationship 5. This stands in contrast to the 'declaratory effect', where an already existing right or legal relationship is merely stated, confirmed, or clarified 5. An example of this is the establishment of a company: The entity is created declaratively through the partnership agreement, but constitutively only through registration in the commercial register 5.
In business administration, a 'constitutive decision' (or meta-decision) refers to a decision of fundamental importance for a company that must be made only once or very rarely 8. Such decisions determine the basic operational mode of the enterprise and are of existential significance. In contrast are operational (process) decisions made in daily business 8. The establishment of a company itself is an example of a constitutive decision 8.
The term 'constitutive' is also applied in other fields, for example, as a 'constitutive equation' in mathematics or as a 'material model' in materials science 5.
Synthesis of the Concept of Constitutive Discourses
The connection of the definitions of 'discourse' and 'constitutive' leads to the understanding that constitutive discourses are fundamental linguistic and social practices that actively shape our perceptions, our understanding, our knowledge, and ultimately the reality in which we live 1. They play a decisive role in bringing certain objects, phenomena, and social constructs to the forefront as objects of knowledge and discussion 1.
Constitutive discourses are not mere representations of an already existing reality but actively participate in its creation and maintenance 1. They operate through established rules, norms, and power relations, thus determining what can be said, thought, and done within a specific social context 1. From this perspective, the reality we experience is always mediated and constructed within discursive frameworks 2.
Theoretical Foundations of Constitutive Discourses
Michel Foucault's Contribution
Michel Foucault's works are of fundamental importance for understanding constitutive discourses. He saw discourses as practices that systematically shape objects of knowledge 1. His concept of 'discursive formations' emphasizes the role of statements as constitutive elements of discourse 1. Foucault highlighted the inseparable link between discourse, knowledge, and power 2. For him, power is not just repressive but also productive as it shapes knowledge and social realities 11. Control over discourses grants societal power 3.
Furthermore, Foucault developed the concept of the 'dispositif', which he understood as an ensemble of discourses, institutions, and practices oriented towards a specific phenomenon, such as human sexuality 1. His archaeological and genealogical approaches to analyzing the historical formation of discourses provide valuable methodological tools for studying constitutive processes 9. Foucault's theories thus offer a critical perspective on the social construction of knowledge and reality.
Social Constructivism
Social constructivism forms a broader theoretical framework that supports the notion of constitutive discourses. This perspective assumes that knowledge and reality are socially constructed through interaction and communication 2. Language plays a central role as a tool of construction 3. Key thinkers of social constructivism, such as Berger and Luckmann, have significantly influenced discourse research 3. The assumption that our access to the world is inseparably linked to language is a core point of constructivism and underscores the constitutive function of discourses 3.
Linguistic Approaches to Discourse Analysis
Linguistics, because of the linguistic nature of discourses, has developed differentiated methods for their analysis 3. From a linguistic perspective, discourses are constitutive in shaping public space and our world experience through language 3. Linguistic discourse analysis considers language use, the heterogeneity of the language system, and semantic theories such as frame semantics 3. Corpus linguistics also plays a role in the analysis of discourses through the examination of large text corpora 3.
Post-Structuralist Perspectives
Post-structuralism emphasizes the linguistic conditioning of societal conditions and sees intervention in discourses as a central site for producing hierarchies 3. This theoretical direction criticizes fixed meanings and focuses on the instability and diversity of interpretations 25. Thinkers like Derrida and Lacan have significantly influenced discourse research within post-structuralism 24. Post-structuralism thus expands the understanding of constitutive discourses by highlighting the fluidity of meaning and the role of interpretation.
Mechanisms of Constitution: How Discourses Shape Reality
The Role of Language and Semantics
Language is the primary medium through which constitutive discourses operate. Through word choice, grammar, and rhetorical means, language frames and constructs our understanding of the world 3. Linguistic perspective generates socially shared meanings and models specific images of reality 29. Discourses offer frameworks to structure complex reality according to established knowledge orders 3. Metaphors, narratives, and other linguistic tools play a crucial role in shaping perceptions and constructing shared understandings 4.
Power Relations and Social Practices
Discourse and power are inseparably connected. Discourses reflect and reinforce existing power structures 2. They establish norms, define the acceptable and unacceptable, and marginalize certain perspectives 4. Social practices are closely intertwined with discourses and mutually influence each other 1. Thus, the dynamics of power are an integral part of the functioning of constitutive discourses.
The Establishment of Norms and Truths
Constitutive discourses significantly contribute to the establishment of social norms, values, and beliefs 2. They define what is considered 'true' or 'false' within a given context and thus influence knowledge production and dissemination 2. Discourses also play a role in shaping collective memory and historical narratives 29.
The Interplay of Discourse and Reality
Constitutive discourses do not merely reflect an objective reality but actively participate in its construction 1. The reality, as we understand it, is always mediated through discursive frameworks 2. This relationship is complex and the subject of ongoing debate between constructivist and realist perspectives 3. It is important to emphasize that the reality constructed by discourses can have very real and tangible consequences 1.
Conclusion
Constitutive discourses are fundamental linguistic and social practices that actively shape our perceptions, our understanding, our knowledge, and the reality in which we live. Understanding this concept is of great importance for analyzing social phenomena, power dynamics, and the construction of knowledge and reality. Theoretical frameworks, particularly those from Michel Foucault, social constructivism, and linguistic approaches, have significantly contributed to our understanding of constitutive discourses. Recognizing the constitutive power of discourses has practical implications in various fields such as social policy, communication, and education. Future research could focus on the specific mechanisms of constitution through different types of discourses, the interplay of competing constitutive discourses, or the role of new media in shaping contemporary constitutive discourses.
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ID konstitutive-diskurse
Chapter 0.18
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