« Discourse analysis in French communication research »

International audienceAccording to the conference call, discourse analysis is considered as a qualitative approach, but is it unquestionable? Discourse analysis is born at the same time as computers, is contemporary with the expansion of mathematical and quantitative methods in all sorts of scientific fields, even human sciences. Our main preoccupation will then be : how do practices and theorizations in discourse analysis open ways to reflect the difference between qualitative and quantitative approaches? We propose firstly a presentation of the emerging notion of discourse analysis in France in the 70s, crossing different schools in linguistics, sociology and philosophy of language. We shall see how the expression progressively grew, beside what was named text linguistics and with practical needs of a qualitative sociology using interviews and life stories. Secondly, we shall see how research in communication and media is using qualitative - sometimes quantitative - approaches of discourses, according to their objects (political discourses, scientific vulgarisation...), media analysed (websites, newspapers...), and personal scientific choices (some researchers in human sciences are quite positivists). Thirdly, we shall consider importance of conceptualisation and interpretation in discourse analysis, from an epistemological point of view. In conclusion, discourse analysis may reveal diversity and unity of human sciences