409b August 24, 2006
Power and Solidarity in Gender and Dominance
By: Crystal Bulda
Instructions for this activity are found at:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm
Instructor: Dr. Leon James
Tannen, Deborah (1996). Gender and Discourse. (New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press). Reviewing pages 19-31.
I. Theoretical Background
A. Power and Solidarity
1. Solidarity is associated with reciprocal pronoun use resulting in social equality and similarity.
2. Power executes asymmetrical relationships where one is subordinate to another.
B. The Ambiguity of Linguistic Strategies
1. Signals in semiotic system of language.
C. The Polesemy of Power and Solidarity
1. Polysemy denotes meaning one thing and another; simultaneously having multi-meanings.
2. Signals of power and solidarity.
3. Power is associated with asymmetrical relationships, where power is held from the one-up position.
4. Solidarity in itself can be a form of control.
D. Cultural contexts in which hierarchical relationships are seen as close and mutually, not unilaterally, empowering.
1. Binding of two individuals in a hierarchical interdependence by which both have power in the form of obligations as well as rights for the other.
E. Similarity/Differences
1. Anything we say to honor our similarity violates our differences.
2. Anything we say to honor our differences violates our sameness.
Related Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_(sociology)
Sociology of Power-This articles defines power as the ability to impose one's will on others, even if those others as the ability to impose one's will on others, even if those others resist in some way. This article provided another similar explanation of power that is analyzed from the sociologist perspective. This site illustrates power in a relational manner where one cannot meaningfully say that a particular social actor manner or one cannot meaningfully say that a particular social actor "has power" without also specifying the role of other parties in the social relationship. Another similar finding that I found relative to “Gender and Discourse” was how the article explains how power almost always operates reciprocally, but usually not with equal reciprocity.
A Discursive-Semiotic Approach to Cultural Aspects- Within this website, a clearer sense as to what the differences are between discourse and semiotic approaches. I found this site useful to help me while reading “Gender Discourse.” The site provides definitions of discourse and semiotic to help with the confusion of the two disciplines that have not been traditionally used before. These two disciplines are also defined with the cultural aspects of translation.
http://golum.riv.csu.edu.au/~srelf/SOTE/EML504/Halliday.htm
Halliday’s Theory- Halliday’s theory describes the theory of language as a social semiotic. Halliday explains a sociocultural theory of language. The theory involves earlier theories of language and culture as social interactions. Halliday specifies the semiotics of the culture at the level of grammatical constituent, at the level of clause. This site reveals an in-depth theory that covers the history of cultural language and the meanings that we have come to understand them as of today. Also, this theory explains how language is adjusted to whatever environment we put it in.
My Home Page:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409bf2006/bulda/bulda-home.htm
Class Home Page:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm