WELCOME. ‘People sometimes refer to “bigoted” or “prejudiced” language, but in fact, language itself is neutral, a vehicle for conveying the attitudes of its users; it has no agenda or bias of its own, but rather reflects (and reinforces) those of the people who use it.’ Deborah Schaffer, Ph.D., & Rachel Schaffer, Ph.D. How are social constructions like gender, race, and class reinforced through language? What psychological impact do certain words hold in society and in turn have an effect on an individual’s actions? What role does language play in preserving power for a select group of people? How is language used to desensitise us from inequalities? The way in which we use language can be an instrument to firstly understanding our own conscious or subconscious prejudices regarding racial, gender and class inequality and how that is stemmed in a much wider universal problem which we are then able to recognise through specific cultures. Understanding the framing of these social constructions is essential to understanding how language is used to reinforce a concentration of power; the disadvantage of poor people and ethnic minorities; the demonisation of the “other”; and neutralisation of human rights violations. ‘In an oppressive set-up, where language is used as a tool of instruction, emotions remain subdued, leading to psychological and emotional oppression.’ Elliot Ziwira, 2016 By starting to interrogate the use of language through various social institutions (educational, political, economic, family and religious) and media outlets, there then leaves space to analyse how the normalities of the use of language as an oppressive tool are intrinsically present through everyday instances. This Terms of Reference will aim to explore and shed light on the different ways in which language contributes to real-life power disparities from the evolvement through etymology of certain words to how language functions through various social institutions. It will also address how it can be used in various ways to challenge some of the injustices that are embedded in everyday communication. It will address the different symbolisms of language through mainstream culture and the various ways that individuals and groups use communication to empower and call claims to justice.
6 // DISCOURSE: THE POWER OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION.
