About the Theory of Discourse
Discourse theory is a branch of postmodernism. It generally holds that each society has an underlying "discourse," or set of assumptions and ideological axioms that inform all behavior. What that society creates--including works of literature, political arrangements, family arrangements and other customs--are collectively called "texts" that are thought to exemplify the broader, underlying discourse of the society as a whole.
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Approach
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The basic structure of Discourse theory is that the underlying substratum to all social life is real, that it is discernible, and that it is unified. Even more, it assumes that this discourse is basically monolithic, and can be described in a rational and coherent manner. The basic idea then, is that one examines a "text" or artifact of society not in itself, but as an appendage of the ideological discourse that has underlined and defined the society in question.
Benefits
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The postmodern, or Discourse approach to understanding social artifacts is attractive because it seeks to maximize the information available to the researcher or critic. A simple novel or painting might have meaning in itself, but this would ignore its social context, the real underlying reason why it was created and received either well or badly. While a sentence, a painting, or a cultural hero might be ambiguous, the underlying ideological zeitgeist of the society might be able to fill in the gaps. In other words, it seeks to understand the part according to the whole, rather than the reverse.
Methods
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For Discourse theory, the social nature and underlying assumptions of a society must be understood before any other research is done. Texts do not come into existence spontaneously, but are responses to this zeitgeist. The artifact or text then can only be understood to the extent it "fits" into this underlying ideological milieu. Otherwise, it is seen in isolation and hence, cannot be understood. What is most important is that this approach stresses "area studies," that is, specializations in specific areas of the world, religions or cultures. There is no "universal history" but only the specific societies that make up the globe, each with its own background and assumptions. It forces researchers to see a society for itself, not as a foreign "other."
Potential
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The real potential here is to make diversity a serious social reality. The cultures of the world, its religions and peoples can be judged by no external standard, but exist as natural growths that develop their own sets of meanings that suit their environments. Ethnocentrism is banned here because texts can only be understood from within, from within the cultural life of a people. Understanding is reached because, once the theoretical underpinnings of a society are understood, then its practices begin to make sense, and then come to form a coherent whole. Tradition seems to be the dominating element in Discourse theory.
Criticism
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The criticism of postmodernism/Discourse work is substantial. What is usually denied is that there really is no discernible ideological backing to society as modern societies are too diverse for that. Even more, Discourse theory ignores the plain language of the speaker or writer in the attempt to constantly find the underlying "subtext" of the meanings. This often leads to (occasionally, comic) distortions of meaning in the interests of ideologically based "cultural diversity," which can become a dogmatic caricature of itself. Just as serious is the question of artistic freedom: if an artist or writer is merely a product of the "ideological subtext" of his society, then what of creativity? Are artists and politicians just slaves to their own culture? Lastly, does Discourse theory imply that there are no real standards of beauty or righteousness?
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