Critical Analysis

Critical analysis positions language as “social practice” and takes seriously the historical and socio-political contexts in which texts are produced. Critical analysis, also referred to as critical discourse analysis or critical discourse studies, is an approach to research that investigates the relationship between language and power by examining how everyday “texts” create and reinforce social inequality and hierarchy. The purpose of critical analysis is to expose and to challenge taken-for-granted power structures and to offer alternative perspectives to knowledge, theory-building, and social reality. Critical analysis continues to gain significant importance in academic research due to its interdisciplinary appeal and application. This entry first provides an overview of critical analysis before discussing how critical analysis research can be used to study cultural studies, rhetoric, ...