Teun Van Dijk

TEUN VAN DIJK
(CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS)
Discussant: CHEERELYN D. MASTILERO

TEUN ADRIANUS VAN DIJK
• He is a renowned Dutch sociolinguist and

discourse analyst, born on June 7, 1943, in
Naaldwijk, Netherlands.
• Dijk's research primarily focuses on the

interplay between language, society, and
cognition. He is best known for his work on
critical discourse analysis, which examines
the role of language in power inequalities
and social dominance.
What is Critical Discourse Analysis?
A. “Critical Discourse analysis is a type of

discourse analysis research that primarily
studies the way social power abuse, dominance,
and inequality are enacted, reproduced, and
resisted by text and talk in social and political
contexts”. (Van Dijk, 2004)
What is Critical Discourse Analysis?
B. Van Dijk argues that discourse is not a neutral
medium of communication, but it is always influenced by
power. He believes that power relations are reflected and
perpetuated in discourse, and that discourse helps
maintain social hierarchies.
For example, in political discourse, those in power use language
to maintain their position and influence public opinion, while
those who are marginalized may use language to resist
oppression.
Here are the key highlights of Van Dijk's CDA:
Discourse and Power: Van Dijk argues that discourse is not a
neutral medium of communication but it is always influenced by power.
Discourse reflects and perpetuates power relations and helps maintain
social hierarchies.
Example:
A government speech that reinforces societal inequalities by promoting
policies that benefit the privileged few while disregarding the needs of
marginalized communities.
 Social Cognition: Van Dijk's CDA is based on the concept of social
cognition, which means understanding how people process and use
information in social situations. Social cognition plays a key role in how
discourse is constructed and interpreted.
Example:
A group discussion where individuals with different social backgrounds
interpret the same piece of news differently based on their pre-existing
beliefs and biases.
 Ideology: Van Dijk views ideology as an integral part of discourse.
Ideologies refer to the beliefs, values, and worldviews that people hold
about themselves, others, and the social world. Ideologies are often
embedded in discourse and help to shape people's perceptions about
social reality.
Example:
An advertising campaign that promotes the idea that beauty is only
attainable through a certain body type, reinforcing societal beauty
standards and perpetuating negative body image issues.
Text and Context: Van Dijk's approach emphasizes the importance

of analyzing discourse in relation to its social and cultural context. Texts
are not analyzed in isolation but in relation to the social factors that
influence their creation and interpretation.
Example:
An analysis of a news article that considers the political affiliations and
interests of the media organization publishing it, and how these factors may
influence the framing of the story.
 Critical analysis: Van Dijk's CDA is a critical approach to discourse
analysis, which means it is designed to expose power relations and
reveal hidden meanings in discourse. Critical analysis focuses on the
ways in which language is used to maintain and reproduce social
inequalities.
Example:
A political debate where the language used by candidates and media
commentators reveals subtle biases or prejudices towards certain social
groups, intentionally or unintentionally influencing public opinion.
COGNITIVE
STRUCTURES
TEXTUAL SOCIAL
STRUCTURES STRUCTURES
Dijk’s Socio-Cognitive Model

Dijk’s Socio-Cognitive Model
COGNITIVE STRUCTURES
 Van Dijk argues that individuals construct
meaning and interpret social phenomena based
on their existing cognitive structures, which
include beliefs, values, attitudes, and schemas.
These cognitive structures influence how
individuals perceive and interpret information,
and they affect their social interactions and
behaviors.
SOCIAL STRUCTURES
 Van Dijk emphasizes the role of power relations,
social hierarchies, and cultural norms in
shaping discourse and social cognition. These
social structures influence the production and
interpretation of discourse by determining who
has access to information, who can speak and be
heard, and which discourses are considered
legitimate or dominant in a particular society.
TEXTUAL STRUCTURES
 Van Dijk argues that textual structures reflect
and reproduce social structures and cognitive
structures. For example, certain discourse
patterns may reinforce dominant ideologies or
power relations, while others may challenge or
subvert them. Textual structures also shape the
way information is framed, presented, and
interpreted, influencing how it is understood by
the audience.
THANK
YOU!

Teun Van Dijk

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TEUN VAN DIJK

(CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS)

Discussant: CHEERELYN D. MASTILERO

• He is a renowned Dutch sociolinguist and

• Dijk's research primarily focuses on the

A. “Critical Discourse analysis is a type of

Text and Context: Van Dijk's approach emphasizes the importance

Dijk’s Socio-Cognitive Model

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