Starting from the assumption that Discourse Analysis can shed light on hidden instances of social demand through the analysis of discourse in different social contexts, the present paper focuses on healthcare, in particular on the social demands concerning health that emerge in forums where health problems are discussed. A corpus of texts produced in the context of non-specialized discussion groups has been analyzed, both from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective. Various discourse features have been examined — from strategies of (...) self-presentation and other-addressing to the selection of specialized lexicon and terminologies, from levels of formality to the interplay of description and narrative. The analysis has revealed the presence of two different ‘scenographies’, that can be named ‘social’ and ‘private’, respectively. The former is characterized by the exchange of information, while the latter gives voice to the need for a different relationship between patients and doctors. In this perspective, it is suggested that the person as a whole should be the main concern of doctors, thus leading to a renewal of discourse in the medical sector. (shrink)

In recent times, whistleblowing has become one of the most popularly debated issues of business ethics. Popular discussion has coincided with the institutionalisation of whistleblowing via legal and administrative practices, supported by the emergence of academic research in the field. However, the public practice and knowledge that has subsequently developed appears to construct a dichotomy of whistleblowing/silence ; that is, an employee elects either to ‘blow the whistle’ on organisational wrongdoing, or remain silent. We argue that this public transcript of (...) whistleblowing/silence overshadows the importance of continuing research into alternative (individual or collective) employee behaviour. Drawing on original research with a financial services organisation, our research uncovers a dissenting discourse that operates through implicit communication, such as codes, sarcasm and jokes. We suggest that this hidden transcript offers significant opportunities for employees to act ethically, and offers the potential to sustain an ethical organisational culture. (shrink)

This article outlines how the international push for inclusive education cannot be aligned with current education systems centred on neoliberal ideals of individualism, measurement, and competition. The way that these systems are organised means that a proportion of (usually marginalised) students are necessarily excluded. In order to meaningfully address the global education crisis, that sees millions of children and young people either out of school or unengaged with learning, this ontological misalignment must be acknowledged, and discourse and engagement around it (...) must be promoted. Drawing from the work of Donella Meadows, I argue that ‘high leverage points’ (information flows, rules, system goals, mindsets) are crucial places to intervene in education systems. Intervention at such points, while challenging, has the potential to lead to transformational and sustainable change; change that current ‘low leverage point’ initiatives fail to produce. I conclude with a call for further discourse and research into an examination of ‘high leverage points’ within education systems, how they interact, and how the development of an associated framework would be beneficial for researchers and development partners. (shrink)