Language, discourse, and class: What's next for sociolinguistics?

Abstract

Drawing from the various theoretical constructs and analyses of class in sociology, economics, cultural studies, and sociolinguistics, I discuss a number of issues regarding class and possible future research avenues for sociolinguists. These include addressing and exploring how to move beyond the static categorical groupings of class membership, including those of researchers themselves in their work on class, appraising the relevance and utility of the concept of overdetermination (Althusser, 1977; Resnick & Wolff, 1987) in examining the enactments of class, discursive self-positionings in different domains and scales, the need to re-examine the construct of intersectionality, and problematizing the notion of identity politics as it relates to class.