Language as Symbolic Power

Language is not simply a tool for communication - symbolic power struggles underlie any speech act discourse move or verbal interaction be it in face-to-face conversations online tweets or political debates. This book provides a clear and accessible introduction to the topic of language and power from an applied linguistics perspective. It is clearly split into three sections: the power of symbolic representation the power of symbolic action and the power to create symbolic reality. It draws upon a wide range of existing work by philosophers sociolinguists sociologists and applied linguists and includes current real-world examples to provide a fresh insight into a topic that is of particular signicance and interest in the current political climate and in our increasingly digital age. The book shows the workings of language as symbolic power in educational social cultural and political settings and discusses ways to respond to and even resist symbolic violence.