Towards Marxist stylistics: incorporating elements of critical discourse analysis into Althusserian Marxist criticism in the interpretation of selected Zimbabwean fiction

Includes bibliographical references.The thesis - which locates itself at the interface between linguistic and literary studies - explores the possibility of developing a ‘Marxist- stylistic’ method of text interpretation, which primarily proceeds from Althusserian Marxist Criticism, but which also incorporates salient elements of Critical Discourse Analysis. In construction of the method, the thesis first investigates the need for Althusserian Marxist criticism to be mediated, and more specifically, the areas in which this mediation is required. The thesis then crosses over to the field of Critical Discourse Analysis where it identifies relevant theoretical and methodological resources that are capable of mediating the ‘gaps’ identified in Althusserian Marxist criticism. The construction of the Marxist stylistic method is then effected through the transfer of germane theoretical and methodological resources from Critical Discourse Analysis to Althusserian Marxist criticism. The distinctive properties of the emergent Marxist-stylistic method are delineated before the method is practically applied to the interpretation of at least four fictional texts – all written and set in Zimbabwe. The key outcome of the thesis is that a distinctive method of text interpretation, which meaningfully separates itself from Althusserian Marxist criticism, on the one hand, and Critical Discourse Analysis, on the other, emerges. The thesis concludes with a reflection on the application of the method and makes some suggestions for further research and development in the area herein labelled as ‘Marxist stylistics.

Critical language awareness: A beckoning frontier in social work education?

Introduction: Effective social work practice is predicated on empowering, inclusive and culturally responsive communication, and yet, there appears to be very limited focus on language awareness, let alone critical language awareness, in contemporary social work education - both within and beyond the Australasian context. This gap is more worrying against a background where neoliberal and instrumental discourses (Habermas, 1969 O'Regan, 2001) have freely proliferated, and now threaten to colonise virtually all areas of private and public life (Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 1999). In response, this article advocates the inclusion of Critical Language Awareness (CLA) in contemporary social work education. Approach: This article initially maps the broad scope and historical emergence of CLA, before surveying its key political and theoretical influences. Findings: The key outcome is that CLA - as delineated - clearly shares significant overlaps with social work values, particularly: justice, equality and a commitment to anti-discriminatory and antioppressive practice (Dominelli, 2002 Payne, 1997). More importantly, CLA provides conceptual and analytical resources that promise to significantly sharpen students' abilities to recognise, question and ultimately challenge, oppressive discourses (Fairclough, 2011 Manjarres, 2011 Wodak, 2006). Conclusion: It is recommended that CLA strands be woven into existing social work themes and topics. The final part of the article offers some practical suggestions on how this could be done

Writer's stance in disciplinary discourses: a developmental view

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies on 12 November 2009, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.2989/SALALS.2008.26.1.9.424.An approach to writer's stance will differ depending on whether one looks at it from an analytic theoretical perspective or a developmental perspective. This article describes a training activity in the Writing Centre at the University of Cape Town which led the authors to evaluate the concept of writer's stance as used in corpus studies against the way it is used by academic literacy practitioners working in developmental fields. Corpus analysts tend to construct a general and theoretical conceptualisation of writer's stance, while academic literacy practitioners who work in complex developmental fields focus on what actually happens (or needs to happen) when individual readers or writers grapple with texts within particular social environments such as academic disciplines

A moment of fuzziness : connections between shifting notions of ‘home’ and welfare arrangements ‘back home’ for Black Zimbabwean migrants living under COVID-19 travel restrictions in Australia

This chapter makes connections between shifting notions of ‘home’ and welfare arrangements to support relatives ‘back home’, among first-generation Black Zimbabwean migrants living in Australia under COVID-19 travel restrictions. Using anecdotal evidence and harnessing elements of constructivist and structuralist theory, the chapter reflects on how a binary opposition between ‘kumusha/ekhaya’ (meaning the place of origin and belonging) and ‘kumasango/ingangeni’ (literally, ‘the jungle’ - and in this context - any other location that is not kumusha/ekhaya) was largely operative for this community, prior to the pandemic. As a sense-making structure, this opposition promoted resiliency as challenges associated with resettling in Australia were assigned to the kumasango/ingangeni category, meaning they could be expected, while kumusha/ekhaya served as the idyllic ‘counterweight’ (i.e. the place of restoration and regeneration, always within reach, when required. The imposition of COVID-19 travel restrictions between early 2020 and late 2021 disrupted and fuzzified this ʼneat’ conceptual structure and instigated recalibrations of the meaning and location of ‘home’ for this community. As further argued, this shift in the relationship with kumusha/ekhaya, which could be occurring in other places hosting the Zimbabwean diaspora, may have long-term impacts on the informal welfare system, which has helped to sustain livelihoods in Zimbabwe for the past two decades. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Goetz Ottmann and Carolyn Noble; individual chapters, the contributors