Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse Perspective

This study aims at investigating the linguistic representation of male and female social actors in the Four Corners 4 textbook, drawing on CDA. More specifically, van Leeuwen’s (1996) framework, which highlights the connection of linguistic and social practices, is used as the analytical framework t...

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Main Author: Ali Roohani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Islamic Azad University, Isfahan Branch 2014-12-01
Series:Research in English Language Pedagogy
Subjects:
Online Access:http://relp.khuisf.ac.ir/article_533611_5aae55a2ae93fcb81f65187e80dfbbcb.pdf
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author Ali Roohani
author_facet Ali Roohani
author_sort Ali Roohani
collection DOAJ
description This study aims at investigating the linguistic representation of male and female social actors in the Four Corners 4 textbook, drawing on CDA. More specifically, van Leeuwen’s (1996) framework, which highlights the connection of linguistic and social practices, is used as the analytical framework to examine gendered social actors in this English language teaching (ELT) textbook. To this end, content analysis was done to explore the frequency and proportion of each social actor. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis showed that there were some differences, though not statistically significant, between males and females regarding substitution, individualization, and activation. Males, in contrast with females, were included more as active and famous actors in social circumstances and they were more individualized. In addition, they were more activated through circumstantialization and participation. On the other hand, the case of formalization was mostly observed for males. Moreover, males and females were distributed equally in the textbook in terms of classification, genericization, and collectivization. The results reveal that the gender bias still exists, though to a small degree, in this ELT textbook, which is taught as a substitution for the previous ELT textbooks in many language schools in Iran.
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spelling doaj.art-6259a0f289c44143903b14442727d6ea2022-12-22T01:27:33ZengIslamic Azad University, Isfahan BranchResearch in English Language Pedagogy2588-32592538-42442014-12-01222335533611Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse PerspectiveAli Roohani0Shahrekord UniversityThis study aims at investigating the linguistic representation of male and female social actors in the Four Corners 4 textbook, drawing on CDA. More specifically, van Leeuwen’s (1996) framework, which highlights the connection of linguistic and social practices, is used as the analytical framework to examine gendered social actors in this English language teaching (ELT) textbook. To this end, content analysis was done to explore the frequency and proportion of each social actor. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis showed that there were some differences, though not statistically significant, between males and females regarding substitution, individualization, and activation. Males, in contrast with females, were included more as active and famous actors in social circumstances and they were more individualized. In addition, they were more activated through circumstantialization and participation. On the other hand, the case of formalization was mostly observed for males. Moreover, males and females were distributed equally in the textbook in terms of classification, genericization, and collectivization. The results reveal that the gender bias still exists, though to a small degree, in this ELT textbook, which is taught as a substitution for the previous ELT textbooks in many language schools in Iran.http://relp.khuisf.ac.ir/article_533611_5aae55a2ae93fcb81f65187e80dfbbcb.pdfCritical discourse analysissocial actorsGenderTextbook evaluationFour Corners
spellingShingle Ali Roohani
Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse Perspective
Research in English Language Pedagogy
Critical discourse analysis
social actors
Gender
Textbook evaluation
Four Corners
title Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse Perspective
title_full Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse Perspective
title_fullStr Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse Perspective
title_full_unstemmed Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse Perspective
title_short Male and Female Social Actor Representation in Four Corners 4: A Critical Discourse Perspective
title_sort male and female social actor representation in four corners 4 a critical discourse perspective
topic Critical discourse analysis
social actors
Gender
Textbook evaluation
Four Corners
url http://relp.khuisf.ac.ir/article_533611_5aae55a2ae93fcb81f65187e80dfbbcb.pdf
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