Although much has been written about discourse analysis in recent years, little of it has been intelligible to the average undergraduate or graduate student. It has become a field in which terminological confusions abound and a bewildering variety of theoretical perspectives compete. Discourse and Social Psychology is the first systematic and easily understood introduction to the theory and application of discourse analysis within the field of social psychology. Beginning with an insightful discussion of the theoretical roots of discourse analysis in linguistic philosophy, ethnomethodology, and semiotics, the authors continue by exploring those concepts which are at the heart of the study of social psychology: rules, accounts, the self, and social representations. Concluding chapters not only tackle some of the broader and more controversial issues, but also offer suggestions as to the direction future research should take. In addition, the authors provide an exhaustive bibliography which will help acquaint students with all the relevant literature in the field. "A provocative little text, that is pitched at the advanced student of social psychology. . . . Concrete observations, evolving definitions, changing circumstances, and dynamic variability, are central ideas to their refreshing approaches in current social psychology. An extensive bibliography supplements this text." --Choice "An invigorating breath of fresh air--clear, innovative, and compelling. With bold theoretical vision and a range of creative research strategies, the volume brings social psychologists into catalytic connection with communication specialists, micro-sociologists, linguists, and philosophers of social science. A significant step toward a post-modern psychology." --Kenneth J. Gergen, Swarthmore College "Potter and Wetherell have genuinely presented us with a different way of working in social psychology. The book's clarity means that it has the power to influence a lot of people ill-at-ease with traditional social psychology but unimpressed with (or simply bewildered by) other alternatives on offer. It could rescue social psychology from the sterility of the laboratory and its traditional mentalism." --Charles Antaki, University of Lancaster "This book represents a lucid and entertaining introduction to the study of language and discourse. The authors analyze social texts of all kinds and offer interesting exemplars to illustrate important concepts and theoretical ideas. Although I disagree with the authors' critique of the neo-positivist research tradition, I still found the book provocative." --Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, University of Wisconsin "Just about the best book that could have been written at the moment as an introduction for psychologists to discouse analysis, its scope and its problems, given the current state of the art. . . . An impressive effort. It is a book I shall use in my own courses." --Current Psychology "Potter and Wetherell provide accessible and compelling short reviews of key issues in Chomskyan, speech act, ethnomethodological and semiological traditions." --Journal of Language and Social Psychology "Potter and Wetherell have genuinely presented us with a different way of working in social psychology. The book's clarity means that it has the power to influence a lot of people ill-at-ease with traditional social psychology but unimpressed with other alternatives to offer. It could rescue social psychology from the sterility of the laboratory and its traditional mentalism." --Times Higher Education Supplement
Industry Reviews
`An exciting mix of both the substantial questions of social psychology and a more general methodology for human sciences' - Center for Kvalitativ Metodeudvikling Newsletter `An invigorating breath of fresh air - clear, innovative and compelling. With bold theoretical vision and a range of creative research strategies, the volume brings social psychologists into catalytic connection with communications specialists, micro-sociologists, linguists, and philosophers of social science. A significant step toward a post-modern psychology' - Professor Kenneth J Gergen, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania `Potter and Wetherell have genuinely presented us with a different way of working in social psychology. The book's clarity means that it has the power to influence a lot of people ill-at-ease with traditional social psychology but unimpressed with (or simply bewildered by) other alternatives on offer. It could rescue social psychology from the sterility of the laboratory and its traditional mentalism' - Charles Antaki, The Times Higher Education Supplement `a bold, programmatic statement... not a work to be ignored, especially by social psychologists... the sort of clarity of writing which comes from a clarity of thought' - Michael Billig, The Psychologist `This book provides a clear and interesting introduction to discourse analysis for social psychologists... (it) could have far-reaching effects on the teaching of psychology, the nature of research and, more generally, on the shape or feel of the subject... It is possible that this book will spark off a very large number of research papers since Potter and Wetherell do go to great lengths to show the readers how to do it... the impact on social psychology, not to mention the subject as a whole, could indeed be far-reaching' - John L Smith, The Psychologist `Potter and Wetherell have written an important book. Although intended for `the advanced undergraduate student', it presents clear statements of theoretical, philosophical and methodological positions which will be of interest to many researchers... In the hands of Potter and Wetherell, discourse analysis offers us reconceptualizations of many areas of social psychological concern... Discourse and Social Psychology effectively introduces discourse analysis to a certain audience' - British Journal of Social Psychology `timely and welcome, in a position to make a significant impact on the theoretical underpinnings and empirical direction of social psychology as a whole... (if this) lucid and engaging text... succeeds in constructing an alluring identity for discourse analysis among the ranks of students and teachers of social psychology (and perhaps well beyond), we can only applaud the initiative, and think that this will be to the long-term benefit of social psychology as a whole' - Journal of Language and Social Psychology `A thought-provoking counter to the quantitative, quasi-experimental appraoches which tend to dominate SPR meetings... I didn't feel that all I learned about qualitative discourse methods was by denigration of the methods I currently use. That's a big improvement on some work in this tradition... this ia a good book' - Network, The Newsletter of the Society for Psychotherapy Research
