Communication: A Critical/Cultural Introduction, 2e Warren & Fassett
Chapter 9: Language and Power in Our Cultural Lives
Lecture Outline
Chapter Overview:
In this chapter, Warren and Fassett explore the connection between language and power
through an articulation of political correctness. They begin the chapter by discussing
citationality and its connection to political correctness. In order to further understand the
pitfalls of political correctness, the authors introduce and debunk 6 myths that undermine
the power of language and the need to recognize how power is embedded in our
language. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how to have academic integrity
when acting as a public advocate.
Chapter Goals:
Define citationality and explore how it works in culture
Identify and challenge myths of political correctness and explore how they work
to sustain power through communication
Identify various ways power is embedded in language and the implications that
holds for culture
Develop ethical practices of citation in written and spoken communication
I. Our language use does certain kinds of cultural work.
a. Citationality is a reference to something that helps make shortcuts in our
meaning making.
i. Citational references cut out the details behind the reference.
ii. Political correctness can be used as a citation that indicates another
person’s perspective is inauthentic or a façade.
iii. In turn, labeling someone else’s position as “political correctness”
can make your opposing perspective seem more authentic by
comparison.
iv. Citations can sometimes, by virtue of their shortcutting, be
unreflexive about how they express power.
b. Allegations of political correctness function to validate cultural violence.
i. When someone is criticized for their behavior they have already
enacted the behavior.
1. Political correctness has become a trope, meaning the
figure of speech stands in for or condenses meanings and
assumptions without a very complicated understanding of
them.
ii. When they respond with a charge of “political correctness” they
shrug off the concern about their original behavior.
II. There are six myths of political correctness.
a. Myth 1: Culture is static.
i. Cultural perceptions, about things like race and gender for
example, are constantly changing.
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Communication: A Critical/Cultural Introduction, 2e Warren & Fassett
ii. The language we use ought to reflect that change.
iii. The logic of political correctness suggests that the way we are used
to things being is the way they should remain.
b. Myth 2: Culture and power are separate.
i. The ways we organize culture can empower or dis-empower
people.
ii. All people are implicated in the empowerment/dis-empowerment
because all people contribute to the ways we organize culture.
c. Myth 3: Stereotypes are built on truths.
i. No language is neutral so it cannot express an objective truth.
ii. What we say has a way of reproducing itself; this is sometimes
called a self-fulfilling prophecy.
iii. Language maintains systems of power that are not founded in some
objective truth.
d. Myth 4: Progress is progress.
i. Progress, or the movement from one place to another, can be
conflated with progress, or improvement, success, or victory.
ii. History is ripe with instances where moving forward harmed many
people.
iii. Appeals to progress as being always good undercut those people’s
concerns.
e. Myth 5: Colorblindness is progress.
i. Some people contend that they do not see race.
ii. Generally this position is a reflection of white privilege as
privileged people are the only people who can afford to ignore
race.
iii. “Color evasiveness” – Evading race is really a way to avoid
discussing or acknowledging power.
f. Myth 6: We’re all making a big deal out of nothing.
i. Telling people they are exaggerating diminishes their genuine
concerns.
ii. Claims of exaggeration also change the subject away from the
original topic to whether or not exaggeration is occurring.
g. From Myths to Cultural Understanding
i. Understanding is about seeing communication in the context of the
relationship with others.
ii. Understanding is about recognizing the part we play in affirming
the ideas embedded in systems of power.
iii. Understanding is about being reflective and aware of how we’re
involved in the world around us.
III. Public Advocacy: Integrity, Complexity and Citationality
a. Successful public communication requires that you have complex
knowledge of your topic.
i. This requires that a speaker embody academic integrity.
1. Academic integrity is the practice of citing sources, being
truthful, and advocating for the public good.
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Communication: A Critical/Cultural Introduction, 2e Warren & Fassett
b. Strengthening and illuminating the boundaries of your knowledge requires
the citation of source material.
i. These sources may be personal: experience, experts you know,
friends with firsthand experience.
ii. These sources may be published: books, articles, online
publications.
c. Different situations require different kinds of support.
i. Your audience, their expectations, and their needs influence the
kinds of support you choose.
ii. Choosing different kinds of sources will provide greater insight
into your topic.
d. It is important to determine whether a source is credible or can be trusted.
i. Consider the author: who are they, what groups do they belong to,
where do their interests lie.
1. Consider where the work is published: did someone pay for
it to be published, did experts review (peer-reviewed
research) the work, or was the work sponsored by a
particular organization.
ii. Testimonies provide a first-hand account of an experience and
enable the speaker to personalize an issue through examples and
narratives.
e. Accurate citation of a variety of carefully reviewed sources ensures that
your audience will understand the source’s value.
i. Some citations are spoken.
ii. Some citations are written.
1. Some disciplines use APA (American Psychological
Association) citation format.
2. Some disciplines use MLA (Modern Languages
Association) citation format.
iii. Current grammar and style manuals are the best resources for
learning how to use different forms of citation.
1. A speaker’s use of citation creates the argument and the
response to it by both the speaker and the audience.
2. Citations need to be clear, consistent, and correct; this will
enable an audience to increase understanding and bolster
the speaker’s credibility.
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