The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Discourse Studies

Cultural Discourse Studies is a field committed to locally grounded research and critical engagement with human communication as a global system of diverse cultural discourses enmeshed in unequal relations of power. The globally diverse contributions to this handbook exemplify that commitment while advancing the field in many important ways. Robert T. Craig, University of Colorado Boulder, USA Cultural Discourse Studies is a remarkable edited collection certain to shape the field of communication powerfully. The book is theoretically sophisticated, wholly imaginative, and more importantly exactly what we need to read right now to improve the world. Cynicism, insults, and oppression harm the ability for humans to cooperate; Cultural Discourse courageously seeks to improve the conversation, steering it toward more healthy dialogues and outcomes. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to live in a world where people get along! Kent A. Ono, University of Utah, USA Shi-xu has assembled a remarkable collection of studies on culture and discourse studies that should be of interest to scholars and students. The book offers a sweeping survey of key concepts and case studies from contributors from around the world. The contributions address classic debates as well as recent cases about the way groups and organizations use discourses to mobilize meaning, as well as the challenges for intercultural communication in a global world. All in all, this is a stimulating book that raises important questions and lays out rich empirical findings. Silvio Waisbord, George Washington University, USA Of all the fields of Discourse Studies, Cultural Discourse Studies, starting with Dell Hymes in the 1960s, was the first, and as shown in this much needed Handbook, still is a crucial approach to the study of text and talk all over the world, as is also shown in the selection of topics and the impressive international team organized by the prominent cultural discourse studies scholar Shi-xu. Teun A. van Dijk, Pompeu Fabra University, Spain The Handbook of Cultural Discourse Studies represents an ambitious effort to map out the philosophical underpinnings, theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and empirical challenges faced by humanity as we (fail to) come together to communicate about how to avoid the global existential threats we are facing today. Ingrid Piller, Macquarie University, Australia With a wealth of fresh perspectives and innovative case studies, this is an exciting, provocative volume which undoubtedly helps expand the scope of discourse studies. Crispin Thurlow, University of Bern, Switzerland