Abstract
In this chapter, O’Reilly and Lester highlight how a social constructionist perspective shapes the way in which analysts might employ discourse analysis for the study of ASD. Specifically, they divide this chapter into three sections. First, they offer an overview of social constructionism, highlighting how the linguistic turn shaped how scholars have come to view and ultimately study language. Second, they highlight the usefulness of approaching the study of autism from a variety of discourse perspectives. A general description of six key approaches to discourse analysis is provided, offering examples of how these approaches are used in practice. Finally, they discuss how social constructionist and discourse analysis perspectives inform the study of autism. Throughout, case examples are used to illustrate the key points offered.
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Recommended Reading
Gee, J. P. (2010). How to do discourse analysis: A tool kit. New York: Routledge.
Jørgensen, M. W., & Phillips, L. J. (2002). Discourse analysis as theory and method. London: Sage.
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O’Reilly, M., & Lester, J. N. (Eds.). (2015). The Palgrave handbook of child mental health: Discourse and conversation studies. London: Palgrave-Macmillan.
Wood, L. A., & Kroger, R. O. (2000). Doing discourse analysis: Methods for studying action in talk and text. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Woofit, R. (2005). Conversation analysis and discourse analysis: A comparative and critical introduction. London: Sage.
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O’Reilly, M., Lester, J.N. (2017). Social Constructionism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the Discursive Approaches. In: O'Reilly, M., Lester, J., Muskett, T. (eds) A Practical Guide to Social Interaction Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. The Language of Mental Health. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59236-1_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59236-1_3
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