Discourse analysis of institutional interaction

In this course, students work theoretically and empirically with different approaches to talk and interaction as a tool in professional practice in interaction both with laypersons and other professionals. The course focuses on different types of oral communication and the functions these serve for different stakeholders. A systematic analysis of details in the interaction can tell us something about the participants’ understanding of the framework for and objectives of the communication situation and what discursive resources they use to achieve various communicative objectives. This also speaks to how different communicative activities create different conditions for participation and involvement. Students gain insight into how language and communication shape and is shaped by the organization or institution in which they occur, and how talk-in-interaction can be a tool for different types of management. The role of professionals in managing interaction, in particular, is addressed by working with empirical examples.

Candidates who have completed this course will have acquired the following learning outcomes, defined as knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

- has in-depth knowledge of interactional dynamics and complexity, and insight into a wide range of discursive resources and strategies for decision-making and problem-solving

- has advanced knowledge of how different communicative activities create different opportunities for participation and involvement

- is able to analyze and discuss how interactional management affects interaction itself

Skills

The candidate

- is capable of transcribing talk-in-interaction in preparation for analysis at a micro level and choose an appropriate transcription convention

- is able to apply their knowledge of talk-in-interaction in an analysis of authentic communication issues in professional practice

General competence

The candidate

- has an in-depth understanding of communicative dilemmas that may arise in interactions between professionals and laypersons, as well as in interprofessional interaction

- is able to analyze and critically reflect on established communication advice and methods in professional practice

By working empirically with authentic data, students learn a method including detailed transcription and analysis at micro level. Working on cases give students an opportunity to develop their analytical gaze and practice processing interactional data in a scientific and systematic way.