This article deals with the concept of critique by discussing and tracing theoretical definitions and epistemological implications of critique within three influential fields of discourse studies: Critical Linguistics, Critical Discourse Studies and Discourse Linguistics (Diskurslingvistik). The intention of the article stems from an observation regarding how discourse studies – at least in a Swedish context – tend to align with a critical perspective, yet without explicating it. Consequently, the article examines the following questions: What does it mean to conduct critical studies as a linguist? What traditions and theoretical contexts are the understandings of critique anchored in? What critical traditions have inspired discourse studie...