Discourse is defined by Dictionary.com as, "communication of thought." However, speaking from a social science standpoint, discourse is considered to be a social boundary, or a standardized way of thinking. Discourses effect society’s views on all aspects of life and because of that discourse can be quite powerful. A discourse can influence an entire country to revolt against tyranny. However, it can also be powerful and dangerous enough to influence a society to literally hate a certain group of people.
An example of dangerous discourse can be seen in the Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). This was a Rwandan radio station whose discourse played an extremely significant role in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. It was a self-proclaimed "Hutu Power" radio station that urged fellow Hutus to do things like "save bullets and use machetes on the worthless Tutsi cockroaches." History has proven time and time again that discourse can be powerful enough and dangerous enough to make people kill.
Much of the discourse that heavily influences society is communicated through people we consider to be "experts." How do these people even attain the title of "expert" to begin with? Often, those who cannot think for themselves rely on someone who has been dubbed an "expert" to govern their own lives. Discourse surrounds us constantly and it is up to us to sift through the junk and decide for ourselves what is true.
1 comment:
Annie,
Excellent start and your example is quite on point. What does it mean when a radio program becomes entrenched in the political discourse? How does this figure back into the author-function?
And, when constantly immersed, how does one invoke agency against all powerful discourse? Can we?
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