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Det är inte hur du har det, det är hur du tar det - eller? En diskursanalys av tre självhjälpsböcker

Carlstedt, Moa LU (2014) SOPA63 20141
School of Social Work
Abstract
The aim of this study has been to examine how the individual is represented in three self-help books and to distinguish dominant discourses in these same books. This has been made through a social constructionist approach. The self-help books that made up the basis for this essay were chosen in the following ways: they can be identified as self help books, and they have had high sales numbers; I thereby presume a general public appreciated them. Further the themes of the books were general human problems such as self-esteem and happiness. The method used was critical discourse analysis and as analytical tool Fairclough’s three-dimensional model was used. The theoretical perspectives of the study were critical discourse analysis and... (More)
The aim of this study has been to examine how the individual is represented in three self-help books and to distinguish dominant discourses in these same books. This has been made through a social constructionist approach. The self-help books that made up the basis for this essay were chosen in the following ways: they can be identified as self help books, and they have had high sales numbers; I thereby presume a general public appreciated them. Further the themes of the books were general human problems such as self-esteem and happiness. The method used was critical discourse analysis and as analytical tool Fairclough’s three-dimensional model was used. The theoretical perspectives of the study were critical discourse analysis and Bauman’s and Giddens concepts of individualization. The results illustrated that the books share common ways in how to represent the individual, and three dominant discourses could be identified. These discourses were: the journey from the bottom to the top, positive thinking as the overall answer, and the taboo of the victim role. Further the result was that the individual in the books was represented as free to choose, and responsible for her situation.

Keywords: individualization, critical discourse analysis, self-help literature, positive thinking, Bauman, Giddens (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Carlstedt, Moa LU
supervisor
organization
course
SOPA63 20141
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
individualization, critical discourse analysis, self-help literature, positive thinking, Bauman, Giddens
language
Swedish
id
4618669
date added to LUP
2014-09-09 16:20:13
date last changed
2014-09-09 16:20:13
@misc{4618669,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study has been to examine how the individual is represented in three self-help books and to distinguish dominant discourses in these same books. This has been made through a social constructionist approach. The self-help books that made up the basis for this essay were chosen in the following ways: they can be identified as self help books, and they have had high sales numbers; I thereby presume a general public appreciated them. Further the themes of the books were general human problems such as self-esteem and happiness. The method used was critical discourse analysis and as analytical tool Fairclough’s three-dimensional model was used. The theoretical perspectives of the study were critical discourse analysis and Bauman’s and Giddens concepts of individualization. The results illustrated that the books share common ways in how to represent the individual, and three dominant discourses could be identified. These discourses were: the journey from the bottom to the top, positive thinking as the overall answer, and the taboo of the victim role. Further the result was that the individual in the books was represented as free to choose, and responsible for her situation. 

Keywords: individualization, critical discourse analysis, self-help literature, positive thinking, Bauman, Giddens}},
  author       = {{Carlstedt, Moa}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Det är inte hur du har det, det är hur du tar det - eller? En diskursanalys av tre självhjälpsböcker}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}