Post 12

Ann Johns’ article “Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice” is an extension of the articles we read by Gee and Swales.  She published her article later than both, Swales and Gee, so she had the time to think through some of the issues presented.  She recaps Swales texts and reiterates his main point.  Swales defines discourse community and points out that in order to participate in a discourse community, you didn’t necessarily have to join it.  Johns points out that Swales fails to pursue the idea of conflict any further.  Gee, on the other hand, argues that people from non-dominant Discourse can only join a dominant Discourse through “musfake.” 

Johns focuses primarily on academic discourses.  She talks about expected conventions and sources of contention that we see in an academic discourse.  She also points out authority.  Johns focuses on the problems of authority and the possible control over acceptable community discourse that could lead to rebellion again discourse community conventions. 

In the second article “Identity, Authority and Learning to Write in New Workplaces,” Wardle talks about the three ways in which newcomers choose levels and types of engagements, which is essentially their mode of belonging.  The three concepts include: engagement, imagination and alignment. 

Engagement is the effort to pursue and develop “interpersonal relationships” with the old-timers in that community.  Imagination is broadening your mind to new possibilities and finding ways to imagine your own work in the realm of the new community.  Lastly, alignment is about finding a common ground and finding boundaries.  This reacquires the creation and adoption of different ideas and activities in a different community. 

My discourse community is my sorority.  Applying these three concepts as a newcomer can be very important and beneficial.  Engagement is probably the most important because without a connection to one of the older girls you might feel alone or an outcast.  People don’t join for the title; they join because of the bonds they have made with people.  Second, imagination plays a key role, because there are many positions that can be taken, and as a newcomer you should be thinking about how you can see yourself in that position or even in the world of Greek life.  Not only does it take imagining the organization in your world, but also bringing some of your world to the organization.  Lastly, alignment could relate to how you manage your time or following the rules of the sorority.