I’m going to start a series called Dismantling The Discourse. This is going to be a series that focuses on current events that are complex and intertwined. The goal will be to look at an ongoing issue with an aim to dismantle the issues and ongoing conversations and separate them out. My objective in doing this is to try and take things that are occurring around us and that require our attention and thought and to then dismantle it so that we can clearly and effectively evaluate the issue.
Most of these posts will pertain to current events in America because that is where I live. I know a lot of you who read this blog live in other countries. If there is an issue happening in your country and it has a tangled conversation and you want to dismantle the discourse on it here, let me know and I will write about it. Since my understanding may be minimal, I might need help from you getting the conversation going. If you want to guest post about something in your country, also feel free to let me know. You can e-mail me at saraistheworst@gmail.com
My plan is to have a fairly standard format that exists for each topic/post. In the title or headline you will see Dismantling The Discourse: Topic Here. Then there will be an introductory paragraph where I talk a little bit about what’s going on, introduce the idea and sort of map out the parameters. From there, I will start listing topics of conversation pertaining to the topic but that are being intertwined and tangled up in the media so that we can have clear lines of discussion and thought. When topics are listed, I will put in links and images of common conversations about the topic and also verbiage describing each one. Normally when I blog I write something and then you comment back about what I have written. What I would like to see happen here is commenters taking the discussion further by adding new ideas and topics that I missed. When that happens, I will go back up the body of the post, mark an ETA with the date, time, user handle from the comments section, and introduce the topic. If it is a lesser issue or an issue that is part of a bigger issue, I may keep it down in the comments section and have the conversation about it take place there. I would like us, as a group, to examine the language being used within the news media and our social media to describe current events and for us to examine how that is shaping perception or clouding the issue. The aim is to separate issues within issues so that clear and effective communication can be had, which I hope will lead to a broader and more inclusive discourse.
The first one will be about Newtown and is coming in a bit.
robin claire
/ December 21, 2012ohhh!
Now I get it.
robin claire