A critical discourse analysis of power and ideology

Scientific Essay from the year 2011 in the subject Sociology - Individual, Groups, Society, grade: 4, course: CDA, language: English, abstract: This paper has shown the relations of critical discourse analysis (CDA) to Power and Ideology, trying to present the most common theories of power, by which the term power can be defined. Though it is difficult to find an agreed definition of power because its concept is essentially contested, all approaches are true and there are general understandings among them: first the operation of power is the ability to get an individual to behave or not to behave in a particular manner and the ability to achieve ones goals while denying others access to the same. Second, modern power is persuasive and manipulative rather than coercive (i.e., using of force), or incentive, such as the explicit issuing of commands, orders, threats or economic sanctions. Third, Power can be ideological, commonsensical, or symbolic, and within these confines, it can operate at a range of different levels: the social, individual, military, state-based, legal, and so on. Fourth, although the process of power may be realized in different ways and in different social environments, the resources of power utilized may not be of the same type. Fifth, some individuals or groups may access or use strategic resources to maintain a position and a status of power over others.