Discourse Theory and Peace

The term discourse theory encompasses a diverse set of insights, assumptions, and concepts that have emerged across a range of disciplines in recent decades. Discourse theory generally derives from the “ linguistic turn ” in the humanities and social sciences that traces back to the work of infl uential fi gures such as Ferdinand de Saussure, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Michel Foucault (Rorty, 1992 ). Most approaches to discourse theory rest on the underlying premise that language, and language use, do not merely refl ect or represent our social and mental realities, but they actually help construct or constitute these realities. The idea that language, or discourse, can shape or structure human thought and action, and that language use therefore warrants study as a structuring agent, was initially a departure from mainstream Western science and philosophy which, until then, had tended to view language merely as a neutral or transparent medium of thought and communication. However, the view that discourse is a structuring agent is now accepted within diverse schools of thought that span the humanities and social sciences. Although debates carry on regarding the relative infl uence of discourse, the nature of that infl uence, and how best to study discourse, discourse theory has established itself as a highly infl uential framework for inquiry, analysis, and even activism. As such, it has much to contribute to the fi eld of peace and confl ict studies (Karlberg, 2005 ). OVERVIEW OF DISCOURSE THEORY