Book review: Shi-xu, The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Discourse Studies Shi-xu (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Discourse Studies, Routledge: London, 2024; xxiii + 480 pp., US$58.99 (ebk): ISBN: 9781003207245
Year: 2026
Type: book-review
Abstract: Cultural Discourse Studies (CDS), an influential academic trend and research framework that emerged in the early 21st century, has significantly impacted various fields within the social sciences on a global scale.CDS focuses on understanding communication by examining how people use language and other symbols in social interactions within specific historical and cultural contexts (Shi-xu, 2005(Shi-xu, , 2016)).It aims to describe, interpret, and critique these interactions, emphasizing the purposeful and consequential nature of communication.In this sense, discourse is positioned 'as an intermediary concept between the concepts of language/languaculture and the more general concept of culture' (Risager, 2007: 173).The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Discourse Studies, edited by Professor Shi-xu, delves into the intricate dynamics of human communication through a culturalist approach.It offers a multifaceted exploration of cultural discourses, emphasizing their roles in shaping reality, exercising power, and transforming the world.This handbook is structured across four distinct sections-philosophical, theoretical, methodological, and empirical-to present a holistic view of CDS research paradigm to readers.Part I discusses the philosophical foundations of CDS, comprising five chapters that critically examine relevant fields, define the subject of study, underscore its distinctive characteristics, project future research directions, and outline suitable approaches.Chapter 1 by Shi-xu delineates the framework of CDS, covering its background, scope, assumptions, objectives, tasks and norms of doing CDS.Chapter 2 by Angermuller presents an empirical analysis of discourse studies as a field populated by unequal actors.It identifies and critiques the sociological and epistemological forms of colonialism within the field and proposes paths for transformation.In Chapter 3, Miike offers a new definition of Asiacentricity and highlights its four conceptual components for the sake of clarifying its 1494709D CM0010.
Source: Discourse & Communication
Author: Enyao Li
Institution: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Language: English
Topic: Language and Culture
Subfield: Linguistics and Language
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7223572954