Power Relations in Institutional Discourse: A Conversation Analytic Approach

Abstract

Language is one of the dominant channels through which power can be exercised and struggled over during social interaction. In institutional discourse, power can interactionally be achieved and negotiated through the use of a variety of discursive resources at the disposal of discourse participants. This study employs a conversation analytic approach (CA) to data collection and analysis. The main objective of the study is to find out how power and control are exercised throughout the course of news interviews. Data analysis of a substantial extract from a BBC news interview with former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, revealed four discursive features of particular significance in terms of the management of power and control: questioning, interruption, topic-controlling, and formulation. These discursive control devices enable the interviewer to exercise power and control over the interviewee. The use of each of these discursive features is examined and the implications of the analysis for language teaching and learning are discussed.