A critical discourse analysis of racial
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critical discourse analysis
Available online at
LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)
107–131
Acriticaldiscourseanalysisofracial
literacyinteachereducation
RebeccaRogersa, ,MelissaMosleyb
bUniversityofMissouriSt.Louis,CollegeofEducation,369MarillacHall,8001NaturalBridgeRoad,St.Louis,MO63121,UnitedStatesUniversityofTexas-Austin,CurriculumandInstruction1UniversityStationAustin,TX78712,UnitedStatesa
Abstract
Whatdoesracialliteracylookandsoundlikeinateachereducationbookclub?Usingthetoolsofcriticaldiscourseanalysis,we
describe,interpretandexplainhoweachmemberofthegroupdrawsonarangeofdiscursiveandembodiedresourcesforracial
literacy;particularly,howtheymaneuverthebookclubdiscoursetoresolvewhatconstitutesanti-racistactioninthebook.Inthis
article,wedemonstratethecomplexwaysinwhichthestudentsseektomakemeaningaroundthisissueandindoingso,drawonand
developasetofsemiotictoolswerefertoasracialliteracy.Wetracethemultiplemodes(visualandlinguistic)usedbyindividuals
andtheshiftsinthesemodesoverthecourseoftheconversation.Suchshifts,weargue,holdthepotentialforthedevelopmentofa
moreintricateformofracialliteracy.
©2008ElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved.
Keywords:Criticaldiscourseanalysis;Racialliteracy;Bookclubconversations
1.Introduction
WhyisitthatWhitepeoplehaveachoiceofwhetherornottheywanttodealwithordiscussissuesofracism?If
theyfeeltoouncomfortable,theycanlaughitoff.Or,asWinnie’sparentsdidinthestory(Iggie’sHouse),they
canjustignoreitsexistenceandcarryonwithlifeasifnothingiswrong.Whyisitthatpeopleofcolordonot
haveachoiceaboutdealingwiththeissuesofracismastheyencountereffectsofracismonaseeminglydaily
basis?Whydopeopleofcolorcarrytheburdenofexplainingtheircultureandbackground,understandingthe
ignoranceofWhitepeople,anddealingwiththeracistattitudesandactionsdirectedatthemfornootherreason
exceptforthecoloroftheirskin?Theydothework.(Faye’sjournalentry)
Aspartofabookclubinaliteracymethodscourse,Faye,anAfrican-Americanwoman,wrotetheaboveentryinher
journal.Inthisjournalentry,Fayeusestheverbs“dealwith”and“discuss”interchangeablywhenreferringtotheWhite
characters’engagementwithissuesofrace.Faye’schoiceofverbsforeshadowsonemovementintheconversations
aboutraceinherbookclub,thequestionoftheroleoftalkinsocialaction.Shealsoreferstoafamiliarformofwhite
engagementcalled“whitetalk,”(McIntyre,1997)inwhichWhitepeople“ignoreitsexistence”or“laughitoff,”in
which“it”referstoracism.FromFaye’sperspective,peopleofcolorhavetodirectlyengagewiththematerialeffects
Correspondingauthor.Tel.:+13145165797.
E-mailaddresses:rogers3948@(R.Rogers),mmosley@mail.utexas.edu(M.Mosley).
0898-5898/$–seefrontmatter©2008ElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved.
doi:10.1016/j.linged.2008.02.002
critical discourse analysis
108R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131
andconsequencesofracism.Ratherthandealingwithracismthroughtalk,peopleofcolorareexpectedto“carrythe
burden”ofexplainingtheirculture,understandingtheignoranceofWhitepeopleanddealingwithracistattitudesand
actions.Faye’stalk,writing,andactions,alongsidethatofherpeersinthecourse,worktogethertoconstructparticular
meanings–whatwerefertoasracialliteracies–aroundrace,racismandanti-racisminthecontextoftheirbookclubs.
AsEuropean-Americanteachereducatorsandresearchers,welearnedaboutthetensionbetweentalkandaction
andhowworkingwiththisdialecticledtoadeeperunderstandingofrace,racismandanti-racism.Earlyinthecourse,
wefoundthatourEuropean-Americanstudentstendedtofocustheirculturalanalysisonpeopleofcoloranddid
notinterrogatewhitenessasaracializedidentity.Therefore,wedesignedabookclubwithchildren’sliteraturethat
includedWhitepeoplegrapplingwithracism,whiteprivilegeandanti-racism.Faye,Jenna,ChelseyandTodd,teacher
educationstudentsinthesecondoftwoofourliteracymethodscourses,weremembersofoneoffourbookclubsthat
readchildren’snovelsrelatingtothetheme,“Struggleforequity:anti-racismfromhistorytopresentday.”Thebooks
presentWhitepeopleasracializedandshiftthegazefrompeopleofcolortoWhitepeopleorasMorrison(1992)writes,
“fromtheracialobjecttotheracialsubject;fromthedescribedandimaginedtothedescribersandtheimaginers;from
theservingtotheserved”(p.90).
Acrossthecontextsofthebookclubdiscussions,thestudents’writtenrecordsandwholeclassdiscussions,we
askedthefollowingresearchquestions:Whatdoesracialliteracylookandsoundlikeinateachereducationbook
club?Howismeaningmadearoundrace,racism,andanti-racismacrosssemioticmodes?Howmightthenetworkof
discoursepracticeshelpusunderstandthepracticeofracialliteracy?
Usingthetoolsofcriticaldiscourseanalysis,wedescribe,interpretandexplainhoweachmemberofthegroup
drawsonarangeofdiscursiveandembodiedresourcesforracialliteracy:particularly,howtheymaneuverthebook
clubdiscoursetoresolvewhatconstitutesanti-racistactioninthebook.Inthisarticle,wedemonstratethecomplex
waysinwhichthestudentsseektomakemeaningaroundthisissueandindoingso,drawonanddevelopasetof
semiotictoolswerefertoasracialliteracy.Wetracethemultiplemodes(visualandlinguistic)usedbyindividuals
andthenetworksofthesemodesoverthecourseoftheconversation.Suchnetworks,weargue,holdthepotentialfor
afullerunderstandingofracialliteracy.
2.Relatedliteratureandtheoreticalframeworks
2.1.Racialliteracy
Racialliteracy,aconceptthatevolvedinaparallelfashioninthe eldsofcriticalracetheoryandwhiteness
studies,hasbeenexplainedashavingbothmicro-andmacro-dimensions.Fromthe eldofcriticalracetheory,Guinier
(2004)posesracialliteracyasaparadigmshiftawayfromracialliberalism,whichisrepresentedbythedecision
ofBrownv.BoardofEducation(1954).RacialliberalismincludestheperspectivethatAfrican-Americanstudents
arepsychologicallydisadvantagedbyracialsegregationinschools.Theeffectofsuchaperspectiveisthatanendto
segregationandcolorblindnesswillremedythesocial,political,andeconomicdisparitiesinU.S.society.Browndid
notprovideWhitepeople,inparticularworking-classandpoorWhites,withalanguageforthecoerciveanddivisive
elementsofraceandracism.Nordiditaddresstheresidentialsegregationthatholdseducationalinequityinplace
(Ladson-Billings,2004;Shapiro,2004).Instead,Brownperpetuatedtheideathatwhenracialsegregationdissolves,
eachindividual’sopportunitieswillplaceheronanevenplaying eld.
Incontrasttoracialliberalism,Guinier(2004)names“racialliteracy”asaninteractiveprocessinwhichtheframe-
workofraceisusedasalenstoexploresocialandlegalpractices,explicatingtherelationshipbetweenraceandpower,
andexaminingmitigatingvariablessuchasgender,class,andgeography.Racialliteracyrecognizesthehistorical
meaningofrace–thatraceisasociallyconstructedcategorythatfunctionstomaintainsocialhierarchies–aswellas
theeconomicoutcomesthatracecreates.Althoughaperspectiveandnotasolution,racialliteracyrecognizesthetan-
gibleandintangibleoutcomesofraceasasocialconstructandracismasamechanismforpowerfulgroupstomaintain
social,political,andeconomicadvantage.Racialliteracyrecognizestheinterest-divergencedilemma,inwhichrace,a
“toolofdivisionanddistraction”hasbeenusedtopitworking-classEuropean-AmericansagainstAfrican-Americans
bycreatingasystemwherejobsandeducationalopportunitiesarepartofazero-sumgame(Guinier,2004,p.99).
Guinier’sconceptualizationofracialliteracyreliesonhistorical,economicandinstitutionalpracticesandlocatesracial
literacyattheinstitutionallevel,ratherthanattheindividuallevel,anabsenceTwine(2004)addresses.
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Fromwhitenessstudies,Twine(2004)de nesracialliteracyasasetof“micro-culturalsocialprocesses”(pp.881)
springingfrom“...earlierinterdisciplinaryworkonracismandanti-racisminblackstudiesandwhitenessstudiesby
providingamicro-culturalempiricalanalysisofthe‘labour’thatWhiteparentsperformastheytranslateandtransform
themeaningofwhiteness,blackness,andracismintheirfamiliesofreproduction”(881).Twine(2004)furtherde nes
racialliteracyas“resources,”“patternofpractices,”(pp.882)“conceptualtools”and“racialvocabularies”(pp.884)
thatWhiteparentsuseto“activelytraintheirchildrentoresistracism”(pp.882).Thus,herconceptualizationofracial
literacyinvolvesasetofsocialpracticeswhichcanbetaughtandlearnedandalsoincludesapositivetheorizationof
whitenesswhichincludesanti-racistpractices.TwinecallstheworkoftheWhiteparentsatypeofracialliteracythat
isalsoaformof“invisiblelabour”(pp.900).Shewrites,“althoughtheydonotoccur[anti-raciststrategies]onthe
picketlinesinviewoforganizedanti-racists,they,nevertheless,constituteonetypeofanti-racistproject”(pp.902).
AnimportantaspectofTwine’s(2004)workistheattentionpaidtotheteachingandlearningofracialliteracy,anarea
ofsigni canceforteachereducation.
Ofparticularinterestforthepresentprojectisthepracticeofracialliteracyinthecontextofteachereducation.Sleeter
(2001),amongothers,havearguedthatexplorationsofraceandculturemustincludeanexaminationofwhiteness,as
nearly90%ofteachersandteachereducationstudentsareWhite(dson-Billings,1999inMarx&Pennington,
2003).Therearerichexamplesintheliteratureofhowuniversitystudents,especiallyWhites,participateindiscussions
abouttherelationshipbetweenwhitenessandracism(Chubbuck,2004;deFrietas,2005;Levine-Rasky,1998;Marx&
Pennington,2003;McIntyre,1997;Schick,2000;Seidl,2007;Willis,2003).ResearchershavefoundthatmanyWhite
studentsshowambivalencetowardsdiscussionsofraceandracism(Levine-Rasky,1998);maintainsilencearound
issuesofracebecausetheywereinmixedracecompanyoutoffearthattheywouldsaythewrongthing(Case&
Hemmings,2005;Trainor,2005);oravoiddiscomforttalkingaboutraceatall,infearofsoundingracist(Marx&
Pennington,2003).
OtherresearchhasdocumentedhowWhiteteachersanduniversitystudentsareoftenunawareoftheirracialpositions
andespouseacolorblindideology,inwhichwhitenessisprivilegedandreproduced(e.g.McIntyre,1997;Schick,2000).
McIntyre’s(1997)nowclassicstudy,forinstance,describes“whitetalk”asnaturallyoccurringtalkthatshoresupthe
commonprivilegesWhitessharewhileavoidingtherolestheyplay,bothindividuallyandcollectively,inmaintaining
racism.Whitestalkthemselvesoutofindividualresponsibilityforcurrentarticulationsofracismby“derailingthe
conversation,evadingquestions,dismissingcounterarguments,withdrawingfromthediscussion,remainingsilent,
interruptingspeakersandtopics,andcolludingwitheachotherincreatinga‘cultureofniceness’thatmadeitvery
dif cultto‘readthewhiteworld”’(McIntyre,1997,pp.46).Further,McIntyre(1997) ndsthatinterruptingother
speakers,silence,switchingconversationtopicsfromwhitenessandprivilege,blindlyacceptingracistnotionsand
stereotypes,talkingoveranotherspeaker,participatingincollectivelaughtertoeaseanxietyandstress,andcollusion
withotherWhitesservetofurtherkeepinterrogationsofprivilegeatbaytherebyparalyzingthecriticalexamination
ofwhitenessandre-centeringwhitenessasnormal.
SuchscholarshippointstotheneedforthepracticeofracialliteracyamongstWhiteteachersandteachereducators.
Recently,whatisreferredtoasthe“thirdwavewhiteness”scholarship(Twine,2008),includesare-theorizingof
whitenessstudiestoincludeamultiplicityofidentitiesthattakeastheirpointofdeparture,“theunderstandingthat
whitenessisnotnow,norhasiteverbeen,astatic,uniformcategoryofsocialidenti cation”(Twine,2008,pp.6).
Thisre-theorizationofwhitenessresiststheessentializingtendenciesoflocatingWhiteracialidentityasstable,apoint
duBois(1903/1982)madeoveracenturyago.ThisopensthepossibilityforamorepositivetheorizationofWhite
racialidentitythatincludesamoredetailedrenderingoflearning.
Someoftheworklocatedinanti-racistscholarshiphasprovidedamorenuancedviewofwhiteness.Forexample,
Lipsitz(1998)hasdemonstratedthetransformationofWhiteidentities.Inthecontextofeducation,literature-based
discussionsfocusedonculturaldifference,forexample,thoseinTrainor(2005),Florio-Ruane,Raphael,Glazier,
McVee,andWallace(1997)andLewis,Ketter,andFabos(2001),oftenleadtodiscussionsaboutmaterial,psychological,
anddiscursiveformsofracismthatexistinsocietyaswellasilluminatemultipleperspectivesandwaysofviewing
theworld.Otherscholarshaveconsideredthe uidityandsocialconstructionofnarrativesaboutrace.McVee(2005)
tracesthediscoursepatternsembeddedwithinthenarrativesofaWhiteteacheroverthecourseofasemester.This
teacherretoldthesamenarrativeofher rstexperienceenteringanAfrican-Americanschoolsixtimesoverthecourse
ofthesemester.Shefoundthatacrossmultipleretellingsofthesamenarrativethatthestructureandevaluationsofthe
narrativeschangedfromacolorblindideologytorecognizingherpositionasaWhitewomanandwonderingaboutthe
consequencesofherpositioning.
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110R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131
Itispossible,then,forwhitetalktoconstructandrepresentpositiveandprogressiveunderstandingsofWhiteracial
identitydevelopmentsuchasinthecaseofWhiteallies(Lipsitz,1998;Stokes-Brown,2002).WhenWhitepeople
directlyengage(withotherWhitesaswellaswithpeopleofcolor)indiscussionsaroundrace,racism,andanti-racism,
anduselinguisticstrategieswhichcenter(ratherthandismiss)theirresponsibilityasWhitepeople,thistoo,becomes
aformandfunctionofwhitetalk.
Giventhislandscape,racialliteracy,then,involvesasetoftools(psychological,conceptual,discursive,material)
thatallowindividuals(bothpeopleofcolorandWhitefolks)todescribe,interpret,explainandactontheconstellation
ofpractices(e.g.historical,economic,psychological,interactional)thatcompriseracismandanti-racism.Narratives
andcounter-narrativesaretoolsofracialliteracy—theybothstructureandrepresentlivedexperiencesandofferthe
opportunitynameone’sownexperienceandreality(e.g.Bell,1992;Perry,Steele,&Hilliard,2003).Withinthecontext
ofteachereducation,narrativesareoftenusedtointroduceandexploremattersofculture,raceanddiversity(e.g.
Florio-Ruane,2001;McVee,2004)throughliterature.Florio-Ruane(2001)notesthatculturalunderstandingsreside
incollective(e.g.publicdiscourses,familystories,andcommon-senseunderstandings)andindividualnarratives.
Narrativesarecomprisedofdiscursivehistories,whichhavebothsocialandcognitivethreads,asvanDijk(1993)
pointsout.Indeed,theuseofnarrativesandliteraturecanhelpreadersimaginesocialspaceswhereracialjusticeisthe
normratherthantheexception.Inpracticingracialliteracy,apersonusesthediscursiveresourcesandstorylinesthat
areavailabletothemthroughtheirinteractionalhistoriesandinputtingthesestorylinetowork,becomeacertaintype
ofperson(Davies,1990).
2.2.Discoursein/associalaction
Becauseracialliteracy,accordingtoGuinier(2004)isinherentlyconcernedwithmaterialconditions,atheory
andmethodforunderstandingtherelationshipsbetweendiscourseandactionisneeded.Criticaldiscoursetheories
assumethatsocialproblems,includingracism,arelargelyconstituted,reproducedandresistedthroughdiscourseand
theirassociatedactions(e.g.Norris&Jones,2005;Scollon,1998).Discourseshavematerialconsequences—certain
actionsaretakenornotbecauseofhowsocialproblemsareframed.Indeed,discursiveframeworksarerootedin
materialism(e.g.Callinicos,1993;ChouliarakiandFairclough,1999;Scollon,1998;Shapiro,2004).Materialtheories
ofracecombinestructuralandinstitutionalfactors,whichstructureracialhierarchies.Thatis,theoristsarguethat
theconsequencesofracismaremorethandiscursiveorpsychological,butresultininequities(economic,political,
andeducational)acrossraciallines.Therefore,weassumethatactionsareembeddedwithindiscoursesand,related,
discourseisaformofsocialaction(Fairclough&Wodak,1997).Throughaction,peopleproducethechainofevents
thatcometomakemeaninginparticularways.
IntheirbookWordsthatWound,Matsuda,Lawrence,Delgado,andCrenshaw(1993)arguethatthereareclear
linksbetweenwordsanddeed.Theypointouttherelationshipbetween“theviolenceoftheword”andviolentcrimes
(e.g.psychological,physical,andeconomic).Theywrite,“fromthevictim’sperspectivealloftheseimplementsin ict
woundsthatareneitherrandomnorisolated”(pp.24–25).Wecannotseparatethetalk,suchasdirect(orindirect)racist
language,thatconstructsracismatthelevelofindividualinteractionsandlargersocialpracticesfromthematerial
impactofracismonpeopleofcolor.Aparallelargumentcanalsobemadeforthewaysinwhichanti-racisttalkcan
reconstructindividualpositioningsandsocialrelationships.
Racistmeaningsarealsoconstructedandperpetuatedthroughsymbolismasmuchasthroughtalkandtextsbecause
meaningisconstructedbyanarrayofmaterialsandmodes(e.g.Smitherman&vanDijk,1988;vanDijk,1984,
1987).News,media,movies,andothervisualtextscommunicatemessagesaboutracethatarereadbyviewers.
Racism,forinstance,oftenexistsintheformofmicroaggressions,“unconsciousandsubtleformsofracism,”which
arepervasiveinsocialspaces(Solorzano,Cela,&Yosso,2000)andcanmanifestthemselvesthroughanysemiotic
mode.
Callingonthedialecticalrelationshipbetweenthesemioticsofrepresentationandsocialpracticesbecomesnecessary
tounderstandtheemergenceanddevelopmentofracialliteracy.“Theembodimentofmeaning,”Kress(2003a,b)
explainsis,“howmeaningismadethroughtheeye,theear,inyourmouth,orthroughtheear...alloftheseare
equallyimportantinmeaningmaking”(interview,2003,pp.7).Eachmodemakescertainkindsofcommitmentsabout
meaning,intendedornot(Kress,2000).Inthemultimodalityofdiscourseandinteraction,sayforexampleinabook
clubconversation,choice(anddesign)becomecentralissues.Thus,meaningmakinginvolveschoosingtorepresent
andinterpretacrossanarrayofmodes(visualandverbal).Intendedornot,suchchoiceindexesaperson’spositionality
critical discourse analysis
R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131111
inanygivencontext.Withinracialliteracy,astudyofchangesandshiftsindiscursivepracticesmayindexagencyand
socialaction(Davies,1990;Wortham,2005).
Fortoolong,racialliteracyandthediscursivepracticesassociatedwithracialliteracyhavebeenunavailableto
Whitepeopleasarethearticulationofsemioticresourcesusedtodevelopanti-racistpractices.Thus,itbecomes
unimaginableforpeopletowritethemselvesintoanarrativeinwhichWhitepeoplecanbeworkingtowardsanti-
racism.Ifparticipantshaveaccesstoalternativediscursivepracticestheycandesignnewformsofmeaning.Thus,our
goalinthisstudywastotakestockoftheresourcesavailable(anddisplayed)bytheparticipantsinthisbookclub,
describehowtheyinterminglewithothernarrativesandresourcesandmakearecommendationforwhataspectsof
racialliteracymightneedfurtherdevelopment.
3.Researchdesignandmethods
Thedatapresentedherewerepartofalarger,yearlongstudyfocusedonhowpre-serviceteacherslearntoteach
literacywithincriticalliteracyframeworks.Theresearchdesignrotatedbetween“watching,”“asking,”and“analyzing”
inaniterativemannerthatinformedourteaching.Wecollecteddatainformofvideo-andaudio-recordings, eldnotes,
interviewsanddocumentcollectiononthefollowingcomponentsoftheclass:seminardiscussions,tutoringsessions,
smallgroupdiscussions,bookclubdiscussionsandpre-andpost-interviews.
We,theteachereducatorsandresearchersinthisstudy,areEuropean-Americanwomen,teachereducatorsand
literacyresearcherswhostudyliteracylearningacrossthelifespan.Webothactivelyintegrateanti-racistperspectives
inourscholarship.Overthecourseoftheyear,eachofusperformedrolesasteachereducatorsandresearchersinthe
courses,collectingdataandleadingdiscussions,providinglectures,andobservinganddebrie ngwiththestudents.
Duringlecturesanddiscussions,ourpedagogicalstancewastomodelthetypesofteachingthatweadvocatedfor
ourstudents–approachesthatareculturallyrelevant,critical,andanti-racist–andthereforewestayedclosetotheir
experiencesincoursetopicsanddiscussions.
Itiswithinthiscontextthatwesituateouranalysisofthebookclubs.Wedrawfrommultipledatasourcesincluding
videotapedbookclubconversations, eldnotesandparticipants’writtenartifacts(e.g.journalsandonlinediscussions).
Wewereparticularlyinterestedinaresearchdesignandsetofanalytictoolsthatwouldallowustotracetheresemi-
otizationofdiscourseacrossconversationsandcontexts,whichsignalslearningandtransformation(Chouliarakiand
Fairclough,1999).
3.1.Context
Theparticipantsarepre-serviceteachersatamid-westernuniversityenrolledinateachereducationprogram.The
guidingprinciplesoftheteachereducationprogramstatedthatgraduatesofthisprogramwillbecommittedtoequitable
andjusteducationforallstudents,willknowthesubjectstheyteachwellandknowhowtoteach,andenacttherole
ofinquirer.Severaloftheclassesintheprogramarerequiredofbothundergraduateandgraduateteachingdegrees
and,asaresult,ourclassesincludedbothlevelsofstudents.Ourclassincludedfourgraduatestudentsandeleven
undergraduates.FourteenstudentswereEuropean-American.TherewasoneAfrican-Americanwomanenrolledin
class.Thirteenofthestudentswerewomenandtwoofthestudentsweremen.Whenweaskedthestudentstowrite
theirculturalautobiographies,welearnedthattheywerediverseintermsoftheirgeographic,religious,andsocio-
economicbackgrounds(McCarthy,2003).Theprogramfollowsacohortmodelandthestudentstookthreeliteracy
coursestogether.Twooftheliteracycourseswerelocatedatanurbanelementaryschoolandincludedapracticum
component.
EveryTuesdayduringtheacademicyear,theteachereducationstudentsmetatanurbanelementaryschoolfrom2:00
to5:00.TheschoolwasgeographicallylocatedinanAfrican-Americancommunityinametropolitancity,about3miles
fromtheuniversity.Thecommunityexperiencedchangeinthemid-20thcenturyasWhiteresidentsmovedsuburban
communitiesandAfrican-AmericanresidentsoftheLiddellneighborhoodweredisplacedfromadjacentareas.Grand
buildings,includingtheschoolbuildingaretracesofthemiddleandupperclasscommunitiesthatwereoncehere,and
now,familieswhoattendtheschoollivebelowthepovertyline.Theuniversityclass,heldinanunusedclassroom,
includedapracticumaswellasaseminar.Inadditiontoreadinganddiscussingtheselectedtexts,studentswereasked
todesignandimplementliteracylessonsforanelementarystudent,writeandrevisetheirculturalautobiography,and
writeare ectiveessayaspartoftheircourseassignments.Thebookclub,whichwefocusoninthisstudy,hadfour
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112R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131
components:reading,discussion,re ectinginjournalsandawholeclassdiscussion(Florio-Ruane,2001;Raphael,
Florio-Ruane,&George,2001).
EarlyinthecoursewenoticedhowtheEuropean-Americanstudentsinclasstendedtofocustheirculturalanalyses
onpeopleofcoloranddidnotinterrogatewhitenessasaracializedidentity.Inadeliberatepedagogicalmove,wechose
literatureforthebookclubsthatincludedWhitepeoplegrapplingwithanti-racism.Weselectedfourbooks:Iggie’s
House(Blume,1975/1983/2001)ManiacMagee(Spinelli,1999),Darby(Fuqua,2002),andTheJacket(Clements,
2002).Weselectedthesebooksbecausetheyrepresentedarangeofgenres,coveredmultiplepointsinU.S.history,
presentedyoungchildrenasracializedprotagonists,andwerewrittenforchildreninthirdandfourthgrades.Students
wereaskedtosignupforthe rstandsecondchoicebooks.Theywereplacedinbookclubsbasedontheirchoices
(seeRogers&Christian,2007foradetailedanalysisofthechildren’sliterature).
Asteacher-researchers,weeachreadanddiscussedthebooksbeforeclass.Duringthebookclubdiscussions,we
rotatedbetweenthegroups,listeningandnotingthemesandissuesthatwouldmakeforprovocativediscussionswhen
thewholeclasscametogether.Inthisanalysis,wefocusonadiscussionofthebookIggie’sHouse.Wereturnedto
thisbookclubforcloseranalysisbecausetheparticipantshelddifferentinterpretationsoftheracialliteracyofthe
protagonist.Winnie,thebook’sprotagonist,lamentingoverthemoveofherfriendIggie,spiesthenewfamilymoving
intoIggie’soldhouse.ShenoticesimmediatelythatthefamilyhasthreechildrenandthattheyareBlack.Inaneffort
tobeneighborly,WinnieextendsherfriendshiptotheGarberchildren.Theirrelationshipisnotwithoutitsproblems,
however.Neighborssignapetitiontoforcethefamilytomoveoutoffearofdesegregation.Whenthepetitiondoes
notforcethefamilytomove,asignispostedintheGarber’sfrontyardtellingthemto“GOBACKWHEREYOU
BELONG.WEDON’TWANTYOURKINDAROUNDHERE!!!!!”.Thisfurtherexacerbatesthetenuousrelationship
betweenWinnieandtheGarberchildren.ThroughletterswrittentotheabsentIggie,weseeWinnie’sWhiteracial
development.AttheendofthetextWinnierecognizesandadmitsthatsheknowslessaboutracialrelationsthansheonce
thought.
3.2.Participantsinthebookclub
Faye,Todd,Chelsey,andJennawereparticipantsintheIggie’sHousegroup,thefocusofourstudy.Theyeach
broughtacomplexarrayofsubjectpositionswiththemtoclassthatprovideabackdropforunderstandinghow
theyapproachedthebookclubdiscussions.Lookingacrossthecategoriesofgender,race,geographicalbackground,
degreestatus(e.g.graduateorundergraduate),dispositionstowardracialliteracy,andwaysofapproachingacademic
writinganddiscussion,wecanseethatthesefourstudentscametothediscussionsoftextsfrommultiple,intersecting
positions.
3.2.1.Faye
Agraduatestudentintheclass,Fayeenteredhergraduateprogramaftercompletingabachelor’sdegreeinAfrican-
AmericanStudiesandEducationalStudies.FayewastheonlyAfrican-Americanwomanintheclass.Fayegrewupin
alargefamily.Attheuniversity,Faye“hadtocometotermswiththefactthatIwasaBlackperson,afemaleatthat,
onacampusswarmingwithpeoplewhodidnotlooklikeme...IalsohadtodissectthesolideducationthatIthought
IhadreceivedforthewhitewashedrhetoricthatIwasactuallytaught...”.Duringthecourseofthisstudy,Fayepartic-
ipatedinaweekendanti-racisminstitute.Shealsotaughtatanelementaryschoolwheresheestablishedanacademic
programforstudentswhoparticipatedinthedesegregationprogram.Fayereadilyengagedwithissuesofculturally
relevantandanti-racistliteracyinstructionindiscussions,injournalsandteaching.Shedemonstratedcontroloverthe
technicalaspectsofliteracyinstructionandshethoughtcarefullyabouttheculturalrelevanceofreadingstrategiesand
prompts.
3.2.2.Todd
Anundergraduateintheclass,TodddoublemajoredinPsychologyandElementaryEducation,althoughhedropped
hismajorinElementaryEducationto nishschoolearlyandenteractivemilitaryduty.ToddwasoneoftwoWhite
menintheclass.Todddescribedgrowingupinasmall“conservative,rural,Midwest”townandcomingfroma“very
conservativeLutheranfamily.”Toddadmitshavingtounlearnstereotypesaboutallsortsofpeopleoncehearrivedat
theuniversity.Todddidnotopenlyopposeengagingwithissuesofculturallyrelevantandanti-racistinstruction,but
wouldoftenappeartonotlistentohispeers,sometimesleavingtheroomwhenthosepeerswerediscussingtopics
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R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131113
relatedtorace.Todd’steachingsufferedbecauseofhislackofpreparationforclass—heoftendidnothavelesson
logscompletedand/ornotcompletedthereadings.WespentadditionaltimeworkingwithToddonaspectsofliteracy
teachingthatwerenotyetunderhiscontrol.
3.2.3.Chelsey
Chelsey,aEuropean-Americanundergraduatestudent,majoredinElementaryEducation.Chelseyattendedaracially
diversehighschoolandde nesherselfasanavidreaderfromaveryyoungage.Chelseyexplainedherdesiretobecome
ateacherintermsofherloveforchildren.Sheeasilybuiltrapportwiththeelementarystudentshetutored.Chelsey
commentedseveraltimesinclassandinherjournalsthatshedidnotthinkitwasnotdevelopmentallyappropriateto
engageyoungchildrenindiscussionaroundrace,racism,andanti-racism.Shemadeseveralpostingsontheonline
discussionboardthatindicatedshethought,fromherexperiencesinhighschool,thatracialissuesweregiventoomuch
attention.
3.2.4.Jenna
Jennawasanundergraduatewhodouble-majoredinEducationandAnthropology.Jennaattendedpublicschoolsin
themetropolitanareawherethisstudytookplace.Inanautobiography,shedescribedherselfas“devotedtoteaching
practicesthatpromotejusticeandbuildcommunityinherclassroom.”Jennahadmanyconnectionswiththelocal
contextofteachinginthiscity.Eachofherteachinglessonsincludedspeci creadingandwritingstrategieswithina
culturallyresponsiveframework.Duringthecourseofthestudy,Jennajoinedateacherinquirygroupoutsideofher
coursework.Shewasalsoactiveinvariouscommunityactivistgroups.
3.3.Datacollection
Thedatasourcesdrawnonforouranalysisinclude eldnotesofseminarsessions,coursematerials,re ective
journals,andrecordings(audioandvideo)ofteachereducationstudents’oralandwrittenconversationsaroundthe
bookclubbooks.Eachbookgroupmettwice,overthecourseoftwoconsecutiveweeks,todiscusstheirbook.We
video-recordedthetwodiscussionsoftheIggie’sHousebookgroup.Wealsovideo-recordedandtook eldnotesfrom
thetwowholeclassdiscussionswherethebookgroupscametogetherandsharedtheinsightsthataroseduringtheir
bookclubdiscussions.Wealsovideo-recordedandtook eldnotesofthreediscussionsthatoccurredaswereadbooks
thatfocusedonraceandanti-racismaloudtotheclass.Inaddition,wecollectedwrittenartifactssuchasweeklyjournal
entries,re ectiveessays,andonlinediscussionpostingsthatrelatedtothebookclubdiscussions.1
3.4.Analysis
Ouranalysisdrawsonthetoolsofcriticaldiscourseanalysis(Fairclough,1992;Gee,2006)andmultimodaldis-
courseanalysis(e.g.Norris,2004).CDAineducationresearchhasbeenusedtodescribe,interpret,andexplainthe
relationshipsbetweenmicro-andmacro-processeswithintextsanddiscourses.CDAfocusesonhowtextsarecon-
stitutivelyconstructed;howtheyenactsocialrelationshipsandsocialidentities(ChouliarakiandFairclough,1999;
Fairclough,1992;Wodak&Meyers,2001).Thus,peoplearealwaysdoingsomethingwithwords.Drawingonthetex-
tualresourcesofsystemicfunctionallinguistics(Halliday,1978),CDAattemptstotracethepatterningofmodeswithin
andacrosstexts,payingparticularattentiontopatternsofpower(e.g.dominance/oppressionorliberation/justice).
Multimodaldiscourseanalysis(MDA)drawsonsemioticsanddiscoursetheoriesandfocusesonhowpeoplein
acommunityofpracticemakechoicesabouthowtouseactionstopositionthemselvesandothers(Norris,2004).
Multimodaldiscourseanalysisseestheuseofanysortofmediationaltool(verbal,textual,andgestural)tocreate
socialpracticesassocialaction.MDAbroadenstheedgesofdiscourseanalysistoincludegestures,objectsand
othernon-linguistictools,attendstothedistributionofmeaningacrossmode,andhowthispatterningconstitutes
socialaction.Byattendingtothepatternsofmodesthatcreateaparticularmeaning—gestures,proxemics,head
movementsandsoon,theanalystcandescribetherelationshipbetweentheformandfunctionofcommunicativemodes.
1Adetailedtimelineofthedatacollectionovertheyearlongcourseisavailableforinterestedreaders.
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114R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131
Inouranalysis,wedescribe,interpretandexplainhowmeaningisdistributedacrossmodessuchaslanguage,
movement,gestureandthelayoutofthephysicalspace,aswellasthesocialidentitiesasindicatedbythelanguage
andmovement.Thismethodalsoallowsustoseehowsocialactionintheclassroom(asapartofbookclubs)ispart
oflargersocietalnarratives.
3.4.1.Procedures
Wetranscribedeachofthevideotapesthatpertainedtothebookclubstructure:literaturereadaloudtothegroup
bycourseinstructors,bookclubdiscussionsamongparticipantsandwholeclassdiscussions.Aswetranscribedthe
videotapesweattendedtolanguageandnonverbalcuessuchasposture,eyegaze,silences,movements,andproxemics.
Webeganallofthetranscriptswiththeverbal,becausethatwastheprimarymodeofcommunicationintheresearch
design.Then,weaddedinitalicstheprominentnonverbaldiscoursewhilewatchingthevideosinavideo-software
programthatallowsforaframe-by-framelookatthevideo.Thenonverbaldescriptionwastranscribedsecond-by-
second.Next,weembeddedstillframeimagesintothetranscriptsatmomentswesawasmodallycomplexortellingin
termsofthenonverbalinteraction.Inseveralcases,weputmultipleframestogethertoseeaphoto-storytoseechanges
inproxemics,posture,gesture,andothermarkersofinteractionalpositioningacrosstime.
Werepresentedeachtranscriptinatableorganizedbyideastructure,participantroles,andassociatedmultimodality
(seeTable1).Ideastructurenamedtheideaspresentedorrestatedinthatsectionoftranscript.Forparticipantroles,
weidenti edthenumberandlengthofturnstakenbyeachparticipantineachideaconstructionaswellastheposition
theytookup.Wechoseastillframeandrepresentedthemultimodalinteractionbywritingaboutthenonverbalmodes
employedintheconstructionoftheidea.Returningtoourresearchquestionsandsectionsofouranalysisthatseemed
especiallyprovocative(eithertherewascon ictorsurprise)wecalledonthetheoriesandmethodsofCDAtomore
fullyunderstandtheconstructionofracialliteracy.
TheCDAframeworkweusedrawsonthetheoriesandmethodsofGee(1999/2006),Fairclough(1992),Fairclough
(2004)andNorris(2004).WecallonGee’s(1999/2006)well-knowndistinctionbetween“discourse”and“Discourse”
tosignifytherelationshipbetweenthe“languagebits”anindividualuses—thegrammatical,syntactical,semanticand
nonverbalchoicesmade(“d”discourse)andthesocialpracticestheyconstructorevokethroughtheirlanguageuse(“D”
Discourse).Inouranalysis,therelationshipbetweenthelanguagebits(“d”)andthewaysofvaluing,believing,acting
thatcomprisesocialpractices(“D”)areactualizedthroughtheelementsofgenre,discourseandstyle(Fairclough,
2004;Halliday,1978).Aswedescribegenre,discourseandstylebelowweusethecapital/smallercaseorthographic
conventionsmadepopularbyGee(1999/2006)tospecifyhowlinguisticrealizationsareconnectedtolargersocial
practices.SeeAppendixAforachartofsemioticresourcesacrossparticipantsinthebookclub.
WeuseChouliarakiandFairclough’s(1999)de nitionofgenreas“thesortoflanguage(andothersemiosis)tiedtoa
particularsocialactivitysuchasaninterview”(pp.63).Genresmaybeviewedas“waysofinteracting”andincludethe
organizationalthreadsofinteracting(“g”)suchasturntakingstructures,cohesivedevices,parallelstructure,politeness
conventions,revoicing,narrativesequencing,etc.Analysisoftheorganizationalthreadsofaparticulargenreallows
ustoseethetypeofgenrethatisbeingconstructed(“G”).Forinstance,aninterviewcanbedescribedasagenrebut
dependingonthelinguisticrealizationoftheinterview“g”(e.g.turn-takingstructure,politenessconventions,etc.)the
genreoftheinterview“G”canbedescribedindifferentways(e.g.formalandinformal).
Eachutterancebothraisespossibilitiesandprecludesotherpossibilitiesthatsignifymeta-narratives,ordiscourses.
Discoursesare“waysofrepresenting”ideasandincludewhatLuke(2000)referredtoas“systematicclustersofthemes,
statements,ideasandideologies”(p.456).Discoursesembodytensionsandcontradictions.Meta-narrativesareiden-
ti edthroughideaunits“d”discourse.Theyarealsoidenti edthroughthe“waysofinteracting”thatincludesvalues,
emotions,beliefs,bodilypositions—or“D”discourses.Forinstance,aninterviewaboutanti-racismmayevokevarious
themesaboutanti-racism(e.g.whiteprivilege,af rmativeaction).“D”iscoursesaremateralizedthroughcirculating
statementsandideaunits—or“d”iscourses.Asaresult,meta-narrativesaboutanti-racismmaybediscursivelyrealized
inawiderangeofways,waysthattheanalystsetsouttodescribe.
Finally,communicationalwaysinvolvespositiontaking,sowelookatwaysofbeing,orstyle.Stylesare“waysof
being”andrepresentinterpersonalchoice(tenorinHalliday’sterm,1978).Ananalysisofstyleincludesananalysis
ofthelinguisticrealizationsofstyle“s”—voice(activeorpassive),modality(tenseandaf nity),mood(questions,
statements,demands),transitivity(e.g.action,affective,ability,cognitivestatements),pronounuseandverbalprocesses
(e.g.material,mental,relationalandverbal)(Christie,2002;Fairclough,1992)aswellasthesocialidentitiesand
positionsthatareconstructedthroughtheserealizations“S.”Forinstance,duringaninterviewwithateacherabout
critical discourse analysis
Table 1 MDA transcripta Time, turns 3:57 to 4:21, 12 turns Ideas The introduction to the idea that in the book“nothing happened.” No social action or justice occurred because the protagonist was powerless Imageb Multimodality (29) Jenna is leaning slightly towards Faye (30) Faye’s ankles are crossed and she looking down at her book (31) Faye looks at Jenna, softens her tone (32) Faye’s head moves back and forth to compliment what she is saying (33) Faye’s tone of voice raises (34–36) Faye’s tone of voice raises Verbal discourse (29) Faye: I think that’s interesting (30) Um, I think I can see how (31) maybe you could feel that (32) but I didn’t feel that at all (33) Jenna: what did you feel like? (34) Faye: This little, this book made me upset (35) I don’t like to read books (36) where nothing happens (37) Jenna: ohhhhh R. Rogers, M. Mosley/ Linguistics and Education 19 (2008) 107–131
(37) Jenna’s mouth opens wide, eyebrows raise, eyes get wide, shifts gaze from the table to Faye
a Description: The table includes one idea segment from a 17-min book club conversation on the book Iggie’s House. Chelsey takes 47 turns, 10 which are characterized as overlapping speech to move another’s talk along. She also makes two failed attempts to gain the oor. Faye takes 75 turns, 5 of which are overlapping and used to agree with another participant. Jenna takes 96 turns, but 48 turns include overlapping speech only that moves the conversation along or shows agreement (mmm hmm, right, laughter). b We recreated this image using a drawing in the style of Leander and Rowe (2006) to mask the identities of participants for the purpose of this article. However, we used actual video-stills in our analysis. In this image, numbers correspond to multimodality in each turn, arrows denote directionality of body movements during a turn, and thin lines that become thicker denote the focus of g
aze.
115
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116R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131
anti-racismtheteacherusesthelinguisticresourcesofstyle“s”(e.g.modality,pronounuse)topositionherselfasa
certaintypeofteacher“S”(e.g.anti-racistteacher,colorblindteacher).
Meaningmakingisrealizedthroughverbalandnonverbalutterances(e.g.gestureorpostureshift).Thus,wetook
stockofthewaysinwhichmultimodalresourcesweredistributedacrossgenre,discourseandstyle.Forinstance,
gesturescanholdaninteractiontogether(genre),functioningasacohesivedevice;whileatthesametimemarking
emotionandastancethatisnotpresentinwords(style).Whatisrelevanttothepresentanalysisisthechaining
orpatterningofmodesandhow/whatchainsofmodesindividualsdrawonandhowthesearereshapedwithinthe
moment-by-momentinteractionsofthegroupandhowthesearethenchangedandreworkedforindividuals.
Asindicatedinourdescriptionsabove,thelower/uppercaseletterspopularizedbyGee(1999/2006)isa
usefulconventiontosignifytherelationshipsbetweenlinguisticelementsandsocialpracticeswithintheCDA
framework—g/Genre,d/Discourseands/Style.Thatis,thelinguisticelementsof“g”genre,“d”discourse,and
“s”stylearepartofalargermatrixthatsignalssocialpracticesandmeta-narratives(“G,”“D,”“S”).Because
usingg/G,d/D,ands/Sthroughoutthepaperiscumbersome,werefertotherelationshipbetweenlanguagebits
andsocialpracticeswhichunderlieeachaspectoftheframeworkusinglowercaseletters(genre,discourse,and
style).
Wechartedthepatternsofgenre,discourseandstyleforeachparticipantinthebookclub,lookingforpatternsin
participationacrossthemodes(again,seeAppendixA).Atthislevelofanalysis,forexample,wenotedthatFaye
oftenuseda“yes...but”construction,apolitenessconventionusedtoentertheconversationwithtogetthe oorwith
acounter-point(genre)coupledwiththemeta-narrativethatanti-racismshouldbeactionbased(discourse)andheld
togetherbyverbalandcognitiveverbalprocesses,materializedthroughanactivevoice(style).Whileshedidthis,she
wouldoftensoftendirectpointsaboutWhitepeopleparticipatinginracismbyshiftingeyecontactacrossmembersof
herbookgroupandbyusingasoftenedtoneofvoice.
Wealsomadeachartofallofthesemioticresourcesthateachindividualwithinthegroupused.Forexample,for
eachparticipant,wemadeachartfor“genre,”“discourse,”and“style”andthenlistedtherangeofvariationwithin
eachmode.Thisallowedustotracepatternswithinandacrossparticipants,lookingwithinandacrossthemodes.
Wecould,forexample,getabetterunderstandingofthedifferencesbetweenJennaandTodd’suseofgenresor
styles.ItwasherethatwenoticedthatwhileJennadidnothavemanyturnsinthediscussions,shediddrawonmany
differentgenresinthebookclubs.Thislevelofanalysisalsoallowedustoseechangesinhowparticipantsused
themodesacrossthediscussions.Afteridentifyingclustersofgenres,discourseandstylewerecontetxualizedthis
levelofanalysiswithinthebroaderdatasetandourunderstandingofeachparticipantwithintheyearlongresearch
project.
4.Anti-racism:talkisactionoraction,nottalk?
OneofFaye’smajorcritiquesaboutIggie’sHouse(Blume,1975)thatemergedfromthebookclubdiscussionwas
that“nothinghappened.”Inthebook,TheGarbers,aBlackfamily,buyahomeina“lovely”neighborhoodinthe
suburbsofNewJersey,ndon,aWhitewoman,whocirculatesapetitionagainsttheGarbersand
putsa“goaway”signintheGarber’syard.InajournalonApril12,Fayewrotethefollowing,“Itseemstomethat
nothingwassolvedinthisbook.Itwasjustastoryabouta12-year-oldWhitegirlandher1–2-weekencounterwith
thenewNegroneighbors,orcoloredpeopleastheywerereferredtobytheotherWhitecharactersinthestory,and
howtheir‘coloredness’affectedthelovelyneighborhoodonGroveStreet.”
Chelsey,aWhitewomaninthegroup,challengesFaye’sperspectivethat“nothinghappened”inthebook,arguingthat
anumberofactionsoccurred.Chelseyusesthefollowingevidencetoconstructherargument.ShementionsWinnie’s
surveyofthecommunity’sattitudestowardstheGarbers;Winnie’sparents’discussionofracism;theLandons’move
outofthecommunitywhichdemonstratedthattheylostthebattlewithracisminthecommunity;andthefactthat
Blumewrotethebookascommunitieswerebeingdesegregatedfollowingthecivilrightsmovementwhichmeantthat
writingthebookitselfcouldbeviewedasaformofsocialaction.Thediscourseaboutanti-racismhere,isthatthe
actionsofanti-racismcanoccurthroughtalking,thinkingandrelatingtopeopleincertainwaysandlearning—actions
thathavetraditionallyconsideredtobeinthecognitiveratherthanmaterialdomain.Faye,ontheotherhand,looksfor
evidenceofmaterialchangestodetermineifanti-racismispresent.
Faye,Jenna,andChelseydiscussedthequestionofwhetheranythinghappenedinthebookduringtheir rstbook
clubmeeting.Toddwasabsentfromclass.Jennabeginsthebookclubbeginsbymakingapersonalconnectiontothe
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R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131117
textandthemaincharacter,“IfeellikeIam[...]thislittlegirl.”Then,Jennaoffersanexplanationforheraf nitywith
Winnie.2
(9)Well,(10)becauseIfeellike,um,Jennalooksinsideofthebookandholdsthebookuptochestlevel.
(12)whenshewhenshetalksaboutlike,likeum,ok,(13)whenshetalksaboutthings(14)likepeoplearen’t
supportingher,ShelooksatFaye.(15)whenshehastheseideas(16)andthey’renotthesameasherparents,(17)
Ifeellikethatsituation(18)isreallysimilartomesometimes(19)ifItrytotalktomyparentsJenna’shands
areopenonthetableinametaphoricgesture,outstretched,bookisinonehand,hergazeisonthetable.(20)
orlikefriends,(21)likethataren’tintheeducationprogram(22)aboutdifferentlikesocialjusticetypethings,
Sheshrugsshoulders,squintseyesslightlyandnodsheadinabeatgesturebackandforthtocomplimenther
message.(23)theydon’treallyunderstandit.(24)Especially,likeIrememberreading,(25)whenDr.Rogers
readit[asectionofIggie’sHousealoud],Index ngerpointsupwardasifshehasjusthadanidea.(26)Ifelt
like(27)‘oh,Ifeellikewe’realike,’Beatheadnods,smile,bookisstandinguponthetable,cradledbetween
hertwohands.(28)youknow,soLooksdownattable,7secondpause.
Jennaexplainsthatsheandthecharacterinthebookengagewith,“socialjusticetypethings”andmostpeoplein
herlife“don’treallyunderstandit.”ForJenna,“socialjusticetypethings”arede nedbyverbal,mentalandrelational
verbs;forexample,verbal(e.g.lines11,13,19“talks”),mental/cognitive(e.g.line15“ideas,”line23“understand,”
andline24“remember”)andrelational(e.g.line14“supporting”andline27“feel”).Here,Jennadiscussesanti-racism
ascarriedoutthroughtalkandfeelingsandoccurringmainlyinthepsychological/individualrealm.Thereisanotable
absenceofmaterialverbsinthisexcerptofJenna’stalk.Alsoimportanttonoteisthatinherexplanation,anti-racism
isanunmarkedterm.Shereferstoanti-racistactionsas,“socialjusticetypethings”andusesdistancingpronouns
suchas“theseideas.”Shetakesastance,identifyingherselfwiththemaincharacterwho,shebelieves,engageswith
anti-racism.
FayequestionsthelimitsofJenna’sidenti cationwithWinnie.FayelooksdownatthebookintentlyandJenna
leansforwardtowardFaye,gazingatFaye’sbook.
(29)Faye:Ithinkthat’sinteresting.(30)Fayelooksdownatherbook.Um,IthinkIcanseehow(31)maybe
youcouldfeelthat,thenlooksatJennaandsoftenshertone.(32)butIdidn’tfeelthatatallHerheadmoves
backandforthtocomplimentwhatsheissaying.
(33)Jenna:Youdidn’t?Whatdidyoufeelfromthebook?Hergazeislow.
(34)Ide nitelydidn’tfeellikeIwasinthebook.
(35)Jenna:Whatdidyoufeellike?
Thetoneofvoiceraises.
(36)Faye:Thislittle,thisbookmademeupsetThetoneofherofvoiceraises.(37)Idon’tliketoreadbooks
(36)wherenothinghappens.
(38)Jenna:ohhhhhJenna’smouthopenswide,eyebrowsraise,eyesgetwide,shiftsgazefromthetabletoFaye.
(39)Faye:Well,ok.
(40)Jenna:No,Idon’tcare,Idon’tcareHerheadmovesbackandforthtocomplimentwhatsheissaying.
Inthisinteraction,Fayeusesacommoninteractionalmoveforherwhichisthe“Ithinkthat’sinteresting...but”
construction.Thismovefunctionstokeeptheconversationmovingforward,evenwhenshedoesnotagreewithothers
inthebookclub.JennainsiststhatshewantstohearFaye’sperspectiveonthebook,askinghertwice“Whatdidyou
feel?”(lines33and35).Fayesharesherviewpoint“Idon’tliketoreadbookswherenothinghappens”(line36).Jenna’s
Throughoutthearticle,wehavechosentorepresentthetranscripts,brokenintowhatGee(2006)referstoas“idealizedlines”inaparagraph
format.Eachidealizedlineincludesthenonverbalsthatmadeuptheinteraction.Wehaverepresentedtheverbalin12-pointfontandthenonverbal
initalicsandin10.5fontsothereadercoulddistinguishbetweentheverbalandnonverbalsembeddedwithinthetranscripts.Wetranscribedthe
verbalandnonverbalcomponentsofthediscussion.Assuch,thetranscriptisamultilayeredrecordofthediscourseinthegroup.Onecanreadthe
verbal,thenonverbalorbothmodestogether.2
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118R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131
long,“ohhhhh”causesFayetopauseandslightlybacktracksaying,“well,ok.”Jenna,inthenextturn,assuresFaye
thatshewantstohearhercritiquebyrepeatingthestatement,“Idon’tcare”withcomplimentaryheadmovements.
Fayecontinueswithhercritiquefocusedonthelackofactioninthebook.Atthismoment,theparticipantsseemto
agreetoexplorethegroup’sdivergentviewpointstogether.
Afterthissetofinteractions,theinteractionalpatternchangesandJenna,usuallyaverballyactiveparticipantin
classdiscussions,islesstalkativeintheremainderofthebookclubdiscussion.Ifweweretolookonlyattheverbal
discourse,wemightcometotheconclusionthatJennawasdisengagedwiththediscussion.However,hernonverbal
languageshowsthatsheisstillengaged.Forexample,inthisinteraction,Jenna,whowasseatedslightlyturnedaway
fromFaye,pushesherchairbackandre-crossesherlegssothatherentirebodyhasshiftedmoredirectlytoward
Faye.ThismoveisinthemiddleofFaye’scritiqueofherposition.Thisisachangeinaf liationatboththelevel
oftalkandthepositioningofthebodysignalsopennesstohearingFaye’sinterpretation.Further,Jenna’sturntaking
structurerevealsthatshestillhasalmosthalfoftheturnsinthediscussionbuthalfoftheseturnsareprimarilyused
forco-constructingandagreement(e.g.theuseof“mmmhmmm”).
Fayeintroducesacentralcritiqueofthebook,whatsheseeasaprivilegingeffect,whichoperateswhenWhite
peoplereframeracism(andmeasurestoredressracism)inamannerthatprivilegesthefeelingsofWhitepeopleatthe
expenseofthematerialrealitiesofpeopleofcolor.Faye’spointisthattheAfrican-Americanvoicesaredeliberately
mutedinordertofacilitatetheexpressionofWinnie’sissuesandemotions.Shestates:
(72)Faye:Likeyoudidn’thearvoicesofum,theGarbers,reallyShelooksstraightahead,thenlookstoJenna.
(73)Andthat
(74)[Jenna:ohhh,mmmSheputsherhandtohermouth,andrubsherface.]
(75)Faye:Thatmademeupset(76)becauseit’sallabout,(77)thiswholeissue(78)iscenteredaroundthem,
Fayelooksdownandmakescircleswithherpenonhernotebook.(79)butthefocusofthebook(80)isWinnie.
Fayemakesalinewithherpenandslightlydropsherchin.
(81)Jenna:[mmmShedropsherhandtotable.]
(82)Faye:andshedoesn’tdoanything.(83)She’sjustgoingthroughemotionsHerhandopenshandupward.
(84)andso...
Inthebook,Winnie’sstruggletotalkwiththeadultsinherlifeaboutracismisexactlythepointthatJennaidenti ed
with.FayedoesnotrecognizeWinnie’sWhiteracialidentitydevelopmentifitremainsinthemental,cognitiveand
emotionalrealmsratherthanmoveintothematerialrealmofanti-racism.Thisisespeciallythecaseifitcomesat
thecostofmutingtheAfrican-Americanvoicesinthebook.Inthisexcerpt,Fayecallsonarangeofverbstomake
herpoint:mental/material(e.g.line72“hear”),affective/relational(e.g.line75“upset”andline83“goingthrough
emotions”)andmaterial(e.g.line82“doanything”).WhileFayemovesbetweenverbalprocesses,herpointaboutthe
dividebetweentalkandactionisunderlinedbyherrepetitionofthisargumentandthemultiplegenres(e.g.narrative,
comedy,etc.),providinganexampleofhow“nothinghappened”(line72)toexecutethepoint.
Next,FayearguesthatbecauseWinnieisachildshedoesnothavemuchagency.Shestated“...itdidn’tmatter
whatshewantedtosay,orwhatshewantedtohappen,itdidn’thappen.”Inthisframe,Jennaislookingintentlyat
Faye.Fayecontinued,“andlikeshecouldn’treallysay,you’renotgoingtotellyourparentsoff.”Inthebook,Winnie’s
motherlearnspeoplearemovingintotheemptyhouseintheirneighborhood.ShetellsWinnieshewillmakethenew
neighborsbrownies.Whenshe ndsoutthefamilyisAfrican-American,she“forgets”tobakethebrownies.Faye
drawsonthisexcerptfromthebookandcreateswhatFayeseesasanunrealisticscenariowhereWinniedirectly
confrontshermother’sracism.
(61)Faye:You’renotgoingtosay,(62)‘Mom,Iknowyoudidn’tforget(63)tobakethosebrownies,Faye’s
headistilted,hergazeisonJenna,Jennanods.(64)areyouplayin’?Faye’shandopensslightly.
(65)Jenna:Yeahreally.Jennalaughs.Yeah.Faye’stoneissarcastic.
(66)Faye:‘Areyouracist?’Faye’shandopensupwardsandsheleansforward.(67)You’renotgoingtosay(68)
anythinglikethat.(69)ItjustseemslikeFayeleansbackinherchair(70)shewaslearningalottoo,andshe
makesaslightchinnodtoJenna.JennaisgazingdirectlyatFaye.(71)soIguessifIwaslike,12,Fayelooks
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downatthetable(72)Iwouldbelike,(73)‘oh,thisisgreat’andher ngerpointstowardstable.(74)but,at
thisage,(75)I’mjustlike,(76)nothinghappenedFayeopensherhand.(77)Likeitjustfrustratesme.
InFaye’s ctionalencounter,Winnieinterruptshermother’spassiveracismwithadirectconfrontation,naming
racism,“Iknowyoudidn’tforgettobakethosebrownies,areyouplayin?...Areyouracist?”Atthewordracist,
Fayeleansforward,addingemphasistoherstatement.Faye’spointhereisthatBlumehaschosenacharacter,thatby
virtueofbeingachildislackingagencyandthereforeisnotabletodirectlyconfrontracismthroughhertalk.Inthis
excerptwealsohearashiftinFaye’sunderstandingoftheboundariesofanti-racism.Thatis,whileshemaintainsthat
nothinghappenedinthebook,shedoesindicatethat“she[Winnie]waslearningalot,too”—astatementthatopensthe
possibilitythatlearningaboutracismandanti-racismmightbeconsideredactions.Similarly,laterintheconversation
shestates,“she’slikeagrowingactivistbutshecan’tdoanythingrightnow.”
5.AmultimodalcritiqueofIggie’sHouse
Aweeklater,Chelsey,Faye,Jenna,andToddreturntotheirdiscussionofwhetheranythingwassolvedinthebook.
Theirfocusshiftsfromthecharacters’actionstotheresponsibilityoftheauthoranddesignersofthebookcovers.
FayearguesthatBlumepresentssuper cialandstereotypicalrepresentationsoftheAfrican-Americanpeopleinthe
book.Chelsey,ontheotherhand,thinksBlumehadlimitationsasanauthorstating,“itwaswrittenbyaWhitelady
inthe60’s...soevenifshehadtriedtoconveysomething,Ifeellikeitwouldn’thavebeenverygood.”Fayeand
JennabothagreethatBlumehassocialresponsibilitiesasawriterandthatsheshouldhavedoneresearchtocreate
moredescriptiveAfrican-Americancharacters.FayewishesBlumehadwrittenadifferentbook—abookinwhichthe
protagonistcouldbecalledontoactivelytakeonracismandwherematerialconditionswouldhavechanged.Jenna
offersanalternativeexplanation,drawingonthesocio-historicaltimeframeofthe1970sthat“maybeshe[Blume]
couldnothavewrittentheendingshewanted...Thatwouldbelikepredictingthefuture,almost.”
AsJennaspeaks,Faye’sgazelingersforseveralsecondsonthecoverofJenna’sbook,sittingonthetable,midway
betweenthem.ShechangestheconversationbyinitiatingamultimodalanalysisofthecoverofIggie’sHouse.
(199)WhatI ndinterestingFayeislookingatJenna’sbookcoverandbeginstoreachovertothebook.(200)
isthatthecoverShepicksupthebookandholdsthebookup,stillconnectedtothetable,turnsthebookaround
andlooksatthecoveroverthebook.Atthesametime,Chelseypicksupherbookandbeginstoopenthecover
ofthebook.(201)thattheyreproduced(202)inthe80’sorthe90’s...(203)hasyourFayepauses,andhereye
focusstaysonthebookhervoicesoftens.typicalWhitegirlShebringsthebookcovertofacethegroup.Her
gazestayssteadyonthecoverofthebook.(204)andyourposterBlackchildrenSherotatesthebookandhas
itinmid-airmovingitclosertoJenna’sdirection.Hergazeriseswhenshesays,“yourposterBlackchildren,”
lookingatJenna rstandthenToddwithafurrowedbrow.Sheplacesthebookonthetable,pushingittoward
Jenna.(205)andeverybodyisjustreallyhappy(206)andthatisnotSheshakesherheadbackandforth“no”
andhershouldersshrugsinsynch.(207)whathappensinthestory,thoughHergazeisdownatthebookthatis
sittingonthetable.(208)Jenna:Right.(209)Itseemsliketheycouldhave(210)beenreallygoodfriends(211)
butthatpictureJennaholdsbookupandexaminesthecoverofthebook.(212)isnotindicative(213)ofwhat
wasgoingon(214)inthestory.Thereisafoursecondsilencefromthegroup.Jennaturnsthebookaroundand
isstudyingthebackofthebook.
Eachmemberofthegrouphasadifferentbookcover.Thebookhasbeenreprintedseveraltimes(1970,1986,and
2001)andeachneweditionhasadifferentbookcover.
ThebookcoverFayeanalyzesfeaturesaphotographofthethreechildreninthebook,asopposedtotheothertwo
thatpresentchild-likedrawings.Thechildren lltheentirecover,withWinnie,theyoungWhiteprotagonist,inthe
center,gazingatthereader/viewer.Sheisleaning,withapleasantfamiliarity,overtheyoungerchild.Thisphotoevokes
theimageofcaringsiblings.BehindherareHerbieandGlennwhosefacesarecut-offfromview.Allofthechildren
aregazingatthereader/viewerandhavesmilesontheirfaces,suggestinganinter-racialfriendship.Unliketheother
bookcovers,imagesthatsuggesttroubledracialrelationshipsarenotrepresented.
Fayepauses,hereyesstayfocusedonthebookcoverandhertonesoftens.PerhapssheisawareoftwoWhite
women’spresenceinthegroupandherownstereotypicalcommentsasshesays,“typicalWhitegirl.”Again,inthe
lastmeetingofthebookclub,Jennastronglyidenti edwithWinniesaying,“IalmostfeellikeIamthislittlegirl.”
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Fayerotatesthebooksoothersinthegroupcanseeitandhasitmid-airmovingitclosertoJenna.Hergazerisesto
look rstatJennaandthenatToddandshesays,“andyourposterBlackchildren.”Inthepicture,thechildrenwhoare
BlackframetheimageofagirlwhoisWhite,andtheyareallsmilingattheviewer.Theironicnatureofthestatement
isreinforcedbyFaye’sfurrowedbrow.SheplacesthebookbackonthetableandpushesittowardJennawhileshe
shakesherheadbackandforth,gesturing“no,”hershouldersshrugginginsynchwiththemovementofherheadasshe
says,“andeverybodyisjustreallyhappyandthatisnotwhathappensinthestory,though.”Faye’swordsandgestures
worktogethertoillustratehercriticalanalysisofthedisjuncturebetweenthetextandtheillustration.Theimages
metaphoricallyrepresentherpoint:thereisoftenadisjuncturebetweenwhatWhitepeoplesayandwhattheydo.
Chelseydiscursivelypiggybacksonthismultimodalanalysis,stating,“Ithinkthiscoverisinteresting.”Hercorre-
spondingactionsofopeningthecoverofherbookandturningthebookaroundtoshowthemembersofhergroupthe
illustrationinsidecaptureshercolleagues’attention.Afterafewmoments,bothFayeandJennaleanintoexamine
thepicturemorecarefully,indicatingtheirjointengagementwiththebook.Whilethisversionofthecoverincludes
wordsandimagesthatsuggesttroubledracialrelationships,thereader/viewerneedstoopenthebrightredfrontcover
ofthebooktoseetheseimages.Thus,thereaderis‘protected’fromracialdiscoursesontheoutsideofthebook.
Theillustrationiscomposedthroughthemediumofwatercolors/paint,givingtheimagealess“real”feelingthanthe
photograph.Thecoverhasanarrativedensitytoit—withthemodesofspace,color,proximity,artifactsallworking
togethertocreatethemeaningoftheillustration.Thereader/viewercannotseethedetailsofthecharacters’facial
expressionsbecauseoftheirpositiononthepage.
FayeandJennaleanacrossthetable,towardChelseyandthebookcoverbeingdisplayed.Chelseyprovidesa
descriptionofherillustrationandFayeasksher,“Whatdoyouthinkthatsays?”Faye’sinvitationtoChelsey,along
withherinitiationofamultimodalanalysisofhercover,providesaspaceforChelseytodemonstratethatshe,too,
caninterpretthepositionsandideologiesofthecoverartistsfromacriticalperspective.Sheaccomplishesthiscritique
intheexcerptbelowthroughaseriesofmodalities—herwords,hertoneofvoice,andhergestures(bothiconicand
metaphoric),allofwhichindicatehercritiqueoftheperspectivepresentedinthebook.Chelseystates
Ifeellike,(230)Imean,theBlackkidChelsey’sgestureinthisstillframestaysclosetotheillustrationasshe
talksabouttheBlackkidintheillustration.Hergazestaysfocusedonthebookinfrontofher.(231)wasinthe
blackandwhiteside,(232)wellok,(233)soWinnietheWhitegirlHerlefthandopensupandextendstoher
leftshoulderinabroad,widestroke.(234)isinthecolors(235)andeverythingisallcolorfulandprettyHer
handsarebroad,open,andextended.(236)likeinthebookwithjusttheWhitepeople(237)anditwasall(238)
colorfulandpretty(239)andthentheBlackpeoplecamealong(240)andthenitislike(241)blackandwhite
Chelsey’svoicegetssharp,directed,hertonechanges,andherhandmakesupanddownbeatgestures.(242)
likeittookoutalloftheprettiness(243)oratleastthatiswhatLandon(244)wastryingtopointout,(245)black
andwhite.(246)Blackisbad,so.
Chesley’sanalysisfocusesonthedisjunctureoralignmentbetweenthevisuallyandlinguisticallyrenderedideas
(thoseonthecoverandthosewritteninthebook).Throughadescriptivereadingofthevisualandlinguisticideasin
thebookaswellasherowngestures(whichaddemphasistoherpoint)shecritiquesthenarrowrepresentationofthe
racializedidentitiesofferedinthebook.Forinstance,whenChelseystates,“So,WinnietheWhitegirlisinthecolors
andeverythingisallcolorfulandpretty,”shepointsouttherepresentationofwhitenessinthewatercolorpictureonthe
insideofthiscover.Inthisimage,Winnie’sbikeissetagainstacolorfulbackground,whereastheBlackmalecharacter
isdrawningrayscale.ItappearsasifthecolorfulbackgroundisfollowingWinnie.Thesideofthepicturethatisin
grayscalematchesthesignthatreads,“GOBackwhereYoubelong...”
Inadditiontopointingoutthecoverartist’schoiceswithcolorandpositioning,Chelseyusesherwords,toneof
voiceandgesturestoemphasizehercritiqueoftherepresentation.Whenshereferstowhiteness,shemakeametaphoric
gesture,tryingtogiveanabstractideaashapethatisdepictedasopenandexpansive,handwide,openandextended
infrontofher.Whenshedescribestheothersideoftheillustration,ontheotherhand,hertoneofvoicechanges,as
dohergestures.“TheBlackpeoplecamealongandthenitislikeblackandwhite.”Here,hergesturesstayclosetothe
pictureandherhandisopenbut ngersarepressedtightlytogether.Thesharpnessinhervoiceemphasizedthrough
beatgestureswithherhandmightbereadasemphasizingherobjectiontotherepresentationintheillustration.When
shetalksaboutthepictures,Chelsey’sgazeshiftsfromFaye,toJenna,toToddandbacktothebook.
Chelsey’son-the-spotthinkingandgesturesrevealthemetaphorssheuncoversinthecoverdesign.Hermetaphoric
gestureofwhitenesscorrespondswiththediscoursesheseesinthecoverillustration,thatwhitenessisaninvisible
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racializedidentity—itjust“is.”Blackness,ontheotherhand,isconcrete,canbepointedto–isconsideredbythe
coverartisttobe“racialized”–andshedenotesthisdiscoursethroughasharptoneandpointedhandgesturesthat
stayclosetothebook.Throughhermultimodalanalysis,sheevokestheracialimaginationwhichconceivesofrace
throughrigid“Black”and“White”binaries—re-inscribingthesocialvaluesattachedtocolor,namelythatwhiteness
equalscolorfulandprettyand“blackisbad”(Bell,2004;Morrison,1992).Hercritiquefunctionstomakethepoint
thattheauthor/coverartistcarriedoutlinguisticandmetonymicviolenceagainstthepeopleofcolorinthebookand
atthetable(Morrison,1992).
Fayepicksuponthisanalysis,co-constructingacritiquewithChelsey,“Iwouldkindofagreewithwhatyouare
saying”andthenaddsanadditionallayertothisinterpretation—onethatfocusesonthesocialrelationshipsofrace
andwhiteprivilegeratherthanraceasasinglecharacteristic.Shestates,
(244)Faye:ButontheblackandwhitesideFaye’srighthandgesturestotheillustration.Herhandopensandshe
pointstotheothersideoftheillustrationwithaniconicgesture.Hergazeisontheillustration.(245)everything
isblackandwhiteintheirlives(246)it’sallracial.ShelooksupatChelseyandtheymakeeyecontact.Herhand
is ippedover,onthetable,palmupwardasshe nishesherthought.
(247)Jenna:Uh-huh.
(248)Faye:Sheshakesherheadslightlyandhergazeisontheillustration.But,Winnie,shehas(249)she
doesn’thavetodealwithraceHerhandopensinfrontofherandmovesinfrontofherfaceinametaphoric
gesture.(250)SoshejustseesallofthebeautifulcolorsHergestureisinitsmostextendedstroke,completely
openand ngersextendedinfrontofher.Herfacialexpressionmatcheshergesture.(251)andsheisnothing
everbothersher.
(252)Todd:Good.ChelseylookstoTodd.Sheisnoddingherhead.
(253)Chelsey:Goodpoint.Chelseynodsherheadinbeatgestures.
(254)Faye:SheislivingacarefreelifeFaye’sgazeisonthebook.(255)andhehastoChelseyturnsthebook
aroundtoshowthecamera,thereislaughterfromthegroup,whileFayeisinmid-sentence.(256)Sheisliving
acarefreelifeFaye’sgazeisonthebook(257)andsheisdoingwhateversheneedstodoandremainsonthe
book,asshemakesapointinggesturewithherhand.(258)buttheyhavetodealwithracismHergazeremains
onthebook,asshebringsacrackertoherlips.(259)andeverythinginblackandwhite.Jennaisintheframe
proppingherheaduponherwristandleaningin.
Fayemovesthediscussionawayfromadiscussionoftheinvisibilityofwhiteness/theracializationofpeopleofcolor
toaninterpretationthatfocusesonwhiteprivilegeandpeopleofcolorhavingtodotheworkofracismandanti-racism.
ToddandChelseybothverballyandnonverballysignifytheyareinagreementwithFaye’sinterpretation,perhaps
indicatingfurtherco-constructionoftheideaofrace,racismandanti-racismassociallyandhistoricallyconstructed.
Together,ChelseyandFayedemonstratethatracismcanbeperpetuatedthrougharangeofverbal,nonverbaland
visualmicro-aggressions.Thereisagreatamountofhopefulnessinthissetofinteractionsastheytaketurnsreading
thespatiallayout,thecolorscheme,theproximityandlayeringacrossthethreebookcovers.Themultiplemodalities
andnonverbalmovestheyinvokeallowtheconversationtocontinue.
Fayecontinuesinthediscussionandinherwrittenworktostrugglewiththeworkthatthepeopleofcolordoto
dismantleracismbothinthechildren’sbooksandintheirclassdiscussions.However,perhapsbecauseofinteractions
withherclassmatessuchasthese,shebecamemoreopentotheracialliteracyworkofthegroup.Fayewrotethe
followinginherjournalinresponsetoanarticlecalled“Gentledoesofracism:Whitenessinchildren’sliterature”
writtenbyFondrie(2001).
IunderstandthatchangeisnotgoingtohappenunlessWhitepeoplework,too,butisitnecessaryforbooks
toexistwhereWhitepeoplearepositionedasthemaincharacter?Don’tthesebookssilencethevoicesofthe
oppressed?At rstread,Ifelttheauthor’ssentimentswerethepolaroppositesofmyown.Fondrie(2001)states,
“Ialwaysplacetheburdenofactingorspeakingonthecharacterswhorepresentothergroups.Theyaretheones
whomustactandspeakandthinkappropriatelyinmyestimation.”Then,Irealizedsomethinginteresting...I
havebeendoingthesamething!Icriticizesocietyforplacingtheburdenofracismonpeopleofcolor,yetIalso
criticizebookslikeIggie’sHouseforattemptingtoshiftsomeoftheburdentoWhitepeopleandhowtheydeal
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withracism.IrealizethatIhaveissuesthatIneedtosortoutabouthowIfeelaboutdiscussionsandliterature
centeredonwhiteness,whiteprivilegeandWhitealliesbeforeImakeaconclusionaboutthevalidityofthese
topics.Ihavetocometounderstandingonthesigni canceofeachofthesetopicsindiscussionsonracialissues
andwhetherornotIfeelthattheyarenecessaryandhelpfulorjustanotherindirecttoolofoppression.
Inthisjournal,Fayeevokesthematerialityofanti-racismthroughherchoiceofthelinguisticunits“burden”and
“dealwith.”Inare exivemove,sherecognizeshowhercritiqueoftheWhitecharactersinIggie’sHouseminimized
theanti-racisteffortsofotherWhiteauthorsandofherWhitecolleagueswhoaretryingtoenterintotheworkofanti-
racism.Fayeseemstoberecognizingthat,forWhitepeople,astagein“dealingwithracism”maybesynonymouswith
talkingaboutracismandanti-racism.Sheisleftwonderingaboutthepossibilitiesandtheconstraintsofdiscussions
andliteratureinthestruggleforanti-racism,apointwereturntointheconclusion.
6.Racisminthepresentday
Often,studentswhoarenewtodiscussionsofracismandanti-racismperpetuatethediscoursethatracismdoesnot
existtoday,insteadisathingofthepast(Bell,2004;Shapiro,2004).Thebookthatthisgroupread,Iggie’sHouse,
waswrittenin1970,andreadingabookwritten25yearsinthepastmayhaveperpetuatedthisdiscourse.During
theconversation,JennaandChelseyhistoricizethebook,postulatingthattheauthordidthebestshecouldatthe
time.ToddandFaye,however,bothbringracismtothepresentdayintheirconversation.Fayecontinuesherearlier
critique,thatthebookdidnothavestrongactionorsolveanything.However,sheextendsthiscritiquebypointing
outhowracismoccursthroughredliningpracticesandwhite ight.Thisthemebecamepartofthesecondbookclub
discussion.
AfterthebookclubconductedtheirmultimodalanalysisofthetwocoversofIggie’sHouse,FayeturnstoTodd
whohasbeenvirtuallysilentthroughthediscussion,forthesecondtimetryingtopullhimin,asaWhiteman,into
thediscussionaboutracismandanti-racismandasks,“Whatisthedrawingonyourbook,Todd?”Toddliftsthefront
ofhisbookand ipsthebookaroundsothegroupcanseethecoverdesignedin1970.Thereisabigsignonthecover
ofthebookthatreads“GOBACKTOWHEREYOUBELONG.”Itisthesamewordingasthesigninthe2001book.
The1970coverstandsinsharpcontrasttothe1983cover,whichhighlightstheauthor’snameoverthetitleofthe
book.ThecolorsaremoremutedthantheothertwocoversandthepicturedepictsIggie’shouse,whichhasbecomethe
Garberhouse.Thesignisintheforegroundofthispicture,whereasinthe2001versionthesignisplacedinawaythat
itissecondarytotheimage.Therearenopeoplepresentinthe1970cover,andthereforetheillustrationforegrounds
thesymbolofthesignandtheracistact.
Inadirectmanner,Fayesetsupa ctionalencounterforToddanddrawsontheracistsigninversionofthebook.
Sheasks,“Whatwouldyoudoifsomeoneputasignlikethatinyouryard?Youwouldneverexpectsomeonetodo
somethinglikethatright?”JennaandToddbothrespondatthesametime,“No!”Then,Fayepressesandasks,“How
come?Whatifyoumovedintoanall-Blackneighborhood.Doyouthinksomeonewoulddothattoyou?”
Faye’squestionscallonmaterialverbssuchas“moved”“dothattoyou”and“putasign”asshelocatesracismin
thephysicalworld.Toddrespondswithanargumentusingverbsthatlocateracismasasetofphysicalandmaterial
processes.ToddquicklysteerstheconversationawayfromFaye’squestion,whichaskshimtomakeaconnectionwith
thebookasareaderandargues“therearecertainplacesinthiscountrywheresomepeoplejustcan’tlive”(line347):
(344)IthinkthatitallgoesbacktoToddplaceshishandonhisforehead,thenextendsitoutwards,(345)then
placeshishandonthecoverofthebook.HisgazeisdirectlyatFaye.Jenna’sgazeisdownatthetable.Faye
takesadrink.ChelseyislookingatTodd.Imean//Todd’s ngertapsonthebook.therearecertainplaces(346)
inthiscountryHisgazeisonFaye.(347)wheresomepeoplejustcan’tliveChelseynodsslightly.Jennalooksat
thetable.(348)becauseoftheracistissues(349)thatstillexist.Toddmakesabeatgestureonthebook.Jenna
nodsslightly.(350)ThereisatowninArkansas(351)whereBlackpeoplearenotallowed.HegazesatFaye.
(352)Faye:There’satown(353)inalmosteverystate(354)whereBlackpeople(355)arenotallowedFaye
laughsslightlyandoverlapswithline356.
(356)Todd:Blackpeople.Blackpeople.Iknow.ToddlooksdirectlyatFaye,armscrossedwithaseriouslook
(357)IfBlackpeoplegothereThetempoofhistalkincreases.(358)theygetkilled.
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(360)Faye:IbelieveyouShespeakssoftly,withherhandonherface,andhergazeshiftsdownward,bodyleans
forward.Fayepicksupapencilandbeginstowriteinhernotebook.
Here,Toddisdrawingonthephysical,materialrealityofwherepeoplecanlive,explainingthisrealityasjust
thewaythingsare.Heidenti esashavinginsightabouttheeffectsofracismonpeopleofcolor,co-constructingthe
notionthatracismexistsinthepresentday.Healsoacknowledgesthephysicaldimensionofracismstating,“ifBlack
peoplegothere,theygetkilled”(lines357–358).Todd’sexplanationcallsonadiscourseofracismasgeographically
basedcoupledwithapassiveconstructionthatfailstonameWhitepeopleastheactorsinviolenceagainstpeopleof
color.Hisstatementalsonaturalizesthesubjugatedpositionofpeopleofcolorandtheexistenceofracismandwhite
privilege,perpetuatingtheideathattheprivilegedstatusofWhitepeopleisdeservedratherthangrantedbylawand
tradition(Bell,2004).
Faye’sbodyandgazeshiftdownwardandcloseasToddistalking—shealmostimmediatelylooksdownather
notebookandbeginstowrite.Toddhashisarmscrossedinfrontofhischestandhecontinuestoexplainthethought
patternsandbeliefsofracistpeople.“Andthatisanawfulthingandthereareplaceslikethatwheresomepeoplejust
can’tgo...Ican’tthinkofaplacewhereIwouldgowhereIwouldeitherhavemylifethreatenedorIwouldgeta
signlikethisinmyfrontyard.”Jenna’sdiscomfortcanalsobereadasshebringsherhandtoherfaceinanervous
reactiontoTodd’spoint.ShecreatesabreakintheuneasinessbyofferingpossibilitiesofwhenToddmighthavehislife
threatened.Shenotesthathewouldbethreatenedifhe“wasdisruptingpowerrelationshipsorwasovertlyanti-racist
oranti-patriotic.”Jenna’sturnseemstoofferFayeanotherwayintotheconversation.Lookingupfromhernotebook,
Fayestates,
(368)No,wewerejustsayingthatHerhandrestsonherchin,hergazeisdownward.(369)becauseyouarea
Whiteman(370)youareinaposition(371)sothatyoucantravelthroughHerhandmakesasmoothmovement.
(372)manydifferentspaces(373)inthisworldHergazeistowardsTodd,andToddlooksdownward.(374)
withoutfeelingthreatenedatallhandmakesbeatgesture,gazeisintent(375)Andthisisaprivilege,Hervoice
raisesslightly.(376)That’spartofwhiteprivilege.
FayeasksToddtounderstandhisprivilegeinlightofthematerialandphysicalexperiencesofpeopleofcolor.As
shespeaks,hertoneissoftenedandherarmisoutstretchedonthetable.Sheevokesadiscourseofwhiteprivilegeand
directlyconfrontsTodd.Shecallsonmaterialandphysicalverbs(e.g.line371“travel”andline374“threatened”)to
pointoutdangersthataremorethanrhetorical.Sherepeats,“thisisaprivilege”inlines375–376,perhapsemphasizing
forToddthatsheisrespondingtoaquestionheraisedinanearlierclasssession(“whatarealloftheexamplesof
whiteprivilege?”)( eldnotes,19February).Fayeneverdirectlyansweredhisquestion.Rather,shesupportsTodd’s
deepeningunderstandingofwhiteprivilegebyaskinghimaquestionabouthisexperiencesasaWhiteman.Fayethen
appliestheconstructofwhiteprivilegetohisexperience.InthismoveshehasprovidedasupportforToddtocometo
hisownunderstandingofwhiteprivilege.
AlthoughbothToddandFayefrequentlyusetheterm“racist”;Jennausestheonlyreferenceto“anti-racist”in
eitherbookclubconversation.Afewturnslater,Toddprovidesanexampleofracism,drawingonapersonalnarrative,
whichsuggestshehasexperiencewithracismandWhitepeoplewhoareunawareoftheirracism.
Todd:Alotofpeople(603)don’tevenknow(604)whattheyare.
(605)Faye:Exactly.(606)Becausetheyhaven’tbeen(607)exposedtoanything.
(608)Todd:IhavepeopleinmyfamilyToddsitsback,makesabeatgestureonthetable.(609)thattheyarenot
racist.(610)Theywilltelleveryone(611)theyarenotracistvoiceissofter.(612)Iwilltalk(613)tosomeof
mycousin’sfriends(614)wholiveinthislittleruraltown(615)andtheywillsay,(616)“nowe’renotracist”
Hisheadtiltsslightly.(617)butthenlateron(617)theywillsaysomething(618)andtheywillnotevenrealize
itHisgazeshiftstotheside.
Toddpointsoutseveralexamplesofwhiteprivilegeashehasobservedthemwithhisownfamilyandfriends.For
example,inlines603–611,Toddexplainsusingverbalandmentalverbprocesses,“alotofpeopledon’tevenknow
theyare”...“alotofpeoplewillsaytheyarenotracist.”LookingacrossTodd’stalk,heseemsmorelikelytolocate
discoursesaboutracisminthematerial,physicalrange(e.g.“placeswherepeoplecan’tlive”line347and“theyget
killed”line358)anddiscoursesofanti-racismintheverbal,mentalrange(e.g.“knowwhattheyare”“saytheyare
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notracist”lines603–611).Ashetalks,wecanhearthatheisdoingwork,too,asaWhiteperson,becauseassociating
withanti-racismmeansdisassociatingwithfamilyandfriends.Earlier,Toddnaturalizedanddistancedhimselffrom
thephysicaldimensionofracism(lines357–358),whereashere,hedrawsonapersonalexperience.Thissuggests
thatToddistryingoutdifferententrypointsintoaconversationaroundracism.Wegaininsightintotheimpactsof
racismonthosewhoperpetuateit,similartolearningaboutWinnie’sstruggleinthebook.AsBell(2004)remindsus,
thiscouldeasilyleadtoaprivilegingeffect.Inthemeantime,though,thisservesasanentrypointforToddintothe
discussionaroundthecontemporaryexistenceofracism.
7.Becomingraciallyliterate:theintersectionoftheindividualandthegroup
Whenwesatnexttoourstudentsduringthisbookclub,weheardandsawaspectsofracialliteracy.Wenoticed
participationstructures,discoursesofracismandanti-racismanddifferentpositionstaken.Butitwasnotuntilwetook
acloserlook,usingthetoolsofcriticaldiscourseanalysis,thatwereallyunderstoodthecomplexityofthesemiotic
tools,narrativesanddiscursivehistoriesthatwereusedthroughoutthebookclub.Wehavearguedthatracialliteracyis
evidentintheparticipants’waysofinteracting,waysofrepresentingandwaysofbeinginthebookclub;eachinfused
withverbalandnonverbalsemioticresourcesthateachparticipantbroughttothetable.
Atthegrouplevel,wenoticedanincreaseinmodaldensityasthestudentsworkedthroughadif cultideaortried
tounderstandanewposition.Theincreaseduseofgesturesorshiftinposturesignaledtheparticipants’needtocall
onadditionalsemioticresourcestomaketheirpoint.TheWhitestudentstendedtoforegroundmental,verbal,and
relationalverbprocesseswhentheytalkedaboutanti-racism.Fayearguedforanti-racismtobegroundedinaction,not
talkbutacloserexaminationoftheverbalprocessessheusedindicatedthatshe,too,drewondiscursive,relationaland
mentalverbs(andsomematerialandphysicalverbs)whenshediscussedanti-racism.Whenthestudentstalkedabout
racism,however,theyusedmaterialandphysicalverbalprocesses,indicatingamuchclearerlocationofracism(rather
thananti-racism)asmaterialandphysical.Thissuggeststheneedformoreexposure(forallstudents)toexamplesof
anti-racistactions.
Wehaveintentionallybroughtthegroup’sconstructionofmeaningtothesurfacethroughoutthisarticle.Atthis
point,however,weshiftourfocustothenetworksofgenre,discourseandstyleforindividualswithinthegroup.Such
networks(andchangesinthenetworks)areexamplesofwhatChouliarakiandFairclough(1999)call“resemiotization”
andareimportantbecausetheyrepresentlearning.Asweheardfromthegroupconversations,Toddparticipatedin
agroupdiscussionaroundrace,racismandanti-racismwhenprompted,buthiscontributions,atonepointintime,
evokedadiscourseofwhiteprivilegethatnaturalizedexplanationsforwhyracismexiststoday.Further,heexhibited
apatternofdeclarativestatements(genre)coupledwiththediscourseofracismandpassivesyntacticalconstruction
(style).Forexample,weheardToddsay,“therearejustsomeplaceswherepeoplecan’tlive”(line336).Thisstatement
naturalizesracismandabdicatesWhitepeoplefromresponsibilityversussaying“Whitepeopleandracistinstitutional
practicesmakeitimpossibleforBlackpeopletoliveinsomeneighborhoods”—astatementthatnamesresponsibility.
Todddoesevokethediscourseofracismasacontemporarysetofpracticesthroughouthisinteractionsinthebook
club.Wefoundthispromisingbecauseoften,Whitepeoplediscussracismasaproblemofthepast,asaresultofthe
civilrightsmovementandtheendofdejuresegregation(Bell,2004).Whenhetalksaboutracisminthepresentday,he
doessothroughpersonalnarratives(genre).Forexample,startinginline602,heusedapersonalnarrativethatevoked
twodiscourses—racismstillexistsandWhitepeoplearenotawareoftheirracism.Wefoundthisnarrativeabouthis
“cousin’sfriends”tobepromisingbecauseearlierinthesemesterhehadaskedFayeforanexampleofwhiteprivilege
whereashere,hegeneratesanexampleofwhiteprivilege,anaspectofracism,byhimself.
Throughoutthebookclubdiscussions,Fayedemonstratesagreatamountof exibilityinthevarietyofgenresshe
calledontofurtherhercritiqueofthebook.Forexample,shecalledon ctionalencounters,narrativesandmultimodal
analyses,tonamejustafew.Fayearguesforanti-racismasactionnottalk(discourse)butoftenusedverbal,mentaland
relationshipverbsratherthanactionverbstomakeherargument(style).OnepossibleinterpretationofthisisthatFaye
isactuallymoreopentoconsideringtalkasactionthansheexplicitlystates.WenoticedthatFaye uctuatedbetween
usingthepresentprogressiveconstruction“growingactivist”and“shelearnedalot”whichsuggestsanti-racismisa
setofprocessesthatislearnedandinvolvesacombinationoftalkandactiontocallingWinnie’sactions“awasteof
time”andarguingthat“nothinghappened.”Weseeevidence–bothassheworksthroughdisagreements,co-constructs
acritiqueofthebookwithherWhitecolleaguesandinherjournal–thatforher,oneaspectofracialliteracyis
understandingtheperspectivesandactionsofherWhitecolleagues.
critical discourse analysis
R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131125
Jennaexperimentswithdifferentwaysofinteracting(genres)throughoutthediscussions.Sheconsistentlydrawson
conversationbuilders,agreement,cohesivemarkers,revoicingandrepetitionstokeeptheconversationgoing.Shealso,
however,asksprobingquestions,takesthe oors,drawsonintertextualresources,offerschallengestohercolleagues’
naturalizedstatementsaboutraceorracism,useshumor,asksrhetoricalquestionsandsoforth.Atseveralpointsin
thediscussionshechallengedherWhitecolleagues’perspectivesaroundrace.ShedidnotchallengeFayebutrather,
listenedtoherperspective.Wenoticedshiftsinherunderstandingofanti-racismbeingmorethanjusttalkbutincluding
actionsaswell(discourse).Aswepointedoutinthegroupdiscussionsection,shephysicallyanddiscursivelyshifted
heridenti cationfromthebookandWinnietoFayeandabroaderunderstandingofthebook(style).Herbodylanguage
andverbalcommentssuggestanopennessandwillingnesstomovedeeperintoherunderstandingofrace,anti-racism
andracism.Herlistening,ratherthantalking,mayhaveallowedChelseymoretimetoparticipateinthediscussions
andachancetounderstandhercolleagues’perspectives.
Chelseyseesmultipleformsofactioninthebookandcallsonanargumentstructurethatisbasedinevidencefrom
thebooktomakehercase(genre).Chelseyseemstounderstandanti-racismasmoreofanincrementalprocessthan
Faye(discourse).However,shealsounderstandsFaye’scritiqueofthebookandco-constructsamultimodalcritique
ofthebookcoverswithFaye.Throughthissetofinteractionsshedemonstratesthatthediscourseofracismcanbe
perpetuatedthrougharangeofverbalandnonverbalresources.Wenoticedthatinthisbookclubconversationshe
tookastancetodefendtheanti-racistactionsoftheWhitecharacterinthebookbutdidnotchallengethenaturalized
statementsaboutracismorwhiteprivilegethatToddpresented(style).
8.Conclusions
Racialliteracyisachievedinmoment-to-momentinteractions,which,inturn,areshapedbythehistoricaland
institutionalframeworksparticipantsbringwiththemintoconversations.Our ndingssuggestthatbecomingracially
literateisaninteractiveprocessthatincludesbothsupportandchallenge.Indeed,theparticipantssupportedone
anotherinbecomingraciallyliterate,modelingdiscourses,racialvocabulariesandconceptualmodelsforfurtherinter-
racialunderstandings.Theyalsodemonstratedhowracialliteracyincludesdisagreement,challengesandmultiple
perspectives.
Wesawhow,inthebookclubconversation,Toddwassupportedtoanswerhisquestion“Whatiswhiteprivilege?,”
Whenaskediftherewasanyplacewherehe,asaWhiteman,couldnottravel,Toddadmitsthattherearefew.After
listeningtohisexplanationFayeresponds,“Andthisisaprivilege.That’spartofwhiteprivilege.”Throughgentle
nudgestoextendTodd’sthinkingaroundrace,FayesupportsToddtogenerate,fromhisownexperiences,anexample
ofwhiteprivilege.Theco-constructedmultimodalanalysisofthebookcoversisanotherexampleofjointengagement
andsupportaroundracialliteracy.Inthisevent,thesharedanalyticspaceofthemultiplecoverdesignsalloweddifferent
participantstocoordinatetheirdiscoursesandperspectives,deepeningthediscursiveandmultimodalresourcesattheir
disposal.FayechangesthegenreofthebookclubfromtalktomultimodalanalysisandherWhitecolleaguesfollowher
lead.Throughprobingquestions(e.g.whenFayeasksChelseyaboutherbookcover“Whatdoyouthinkthatsays?”),
co-constructingmeanings(e.g.throughverbalandnonverbalturns)theytogetherimprovisealayeredanalysisofthe
bookcovers.Perhapsthemovementfromdiscussiontothemultimodalanalysisofimagesopenedupaspaceforthe
pre-serviceteacherstoengagewithracedifferentlythantheycouldwithwordsalone.
Thepre-serviceteachers’existingunderstandingswerealsochallenged.Eachoftheparticipantsrethinktheir
currentlyheldbeliefsaroundraceinthebookclub.Themultiperspectivalspaceofthebookclubofferedawindowto
seeideasandviewpointsdifferentfromtheirownwhich,inturn,shedreliefontheirownconstructsaroundrace.Recall,
forexample,Jenna’sidenti cationwithWinniebutherdesiretohearFaye’sperspectiveaboutWinnie—communicated
throughherrepeatedquestiontoFaye“whatdidyoufeel?”Faye’sunderstandingofWinniewasaperspectivethat
Jennahadnotconsidered.Faye,too,openlyacknowledgesinherjournalthatsherealizedtheracialliteracyworkthat
Whitepeopleperform,“Icriticizesocietyforplacingtheburdenofracismonpeopleofcolor,yetIalsocriticizebooks
likeIggie’sHouseforattemptingtoshiftsomeoftheburdentoWhitepeopleandhowtheydealwithracism.”She
opensherselftothepossibilityofdifferenttypesofanti-racistwork.WeseeandhearhowToddworksthroughhis
recognitionthathisWhitefriendshavedifferentunderstandingsofracismandwhiteprivilege.Throughthemultimodal
analysisofthebookcovers,weseeandhearhowChelsey,too,re-examinestheauthorandcoverdesigner’slinguistic
andvisualmetaphorsandwhatthesecommunicateaboutrace.
critical discourse analysis
126R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131
Thespaceofchildren’sliteraturewithinthebookcluballowedthisinter-racialgroupofstudentstojointlyengage
aroundtheproblematicofanti-racism.Theyconductedtheirowncriticalanalysisofthecharacters’wordsand
actions—scrutinizingtheintentionsandconsequences.Indoingso,theyengagetheirracialimaginationsaboutwhat
isandshouldbeconsideredanti-racism.Wewouldarguethatthespaceofthechildren’sliteratureprovidedasupport
forthestudentstoengagewiththemotives,intentions,dispositions,wordsandactionsofthecharacters.Thatis,as
theyre-interpretWinnie,theyalsore-interpretthemselvesandtheirrelationtoeachotherinawaythattheymightnot
beabletowithoutthepresenceof ction.Winnie’s ctionalcharacterallowedthepre-serviceteachersthespaceto
rehearsetheircritiquesandpraises,aroundanti-racismthattheymightnothavethecourage(yet)todowithpeople.This
rehearsaladdstoeachparticipants’stockofdiscursiveresourcesthattheymightcallonintheirnextsetofinteractions.
Interestingly,theyenactracialliteracyasde nedbycriticalracetheorists(Guinier,2004)andwhitenessstudies
(Twine,2004).Thatis,theframeworkofracewasusedasalenstoexploresocial,historicalandinstitutionalprac-
tices(Bell,1992,2004;Guinier,2004).Criticalracetheoriststendtoemphasizetheinstitutionalprocessesoverthe
individual—focusingonthematerialoutcomesofraceasasocialmechanism.Fayemostconsistentlyaddresseda
racialframeworkfromthisstandpoint—althoughtheotherparticipantsdidhistoricizethebookandbringracisminto
thecurrentcontext.Racialliteracyasithasbeenarticulatedinwhitenessstudiesattendstothesocialandcultural
interactionsbetweenpeople.JennaandChelseytendedtoaddressracefromthestandpointofindividuals’interactions.
PerhapsFaye’sdiscomfortwithnamingtalkasaformofsocialactionstemsfromthelackofdifferencetalkhas
historicallymadearoundmattersofracismandracialinjustices.Itmightalsostemfromadesiretolocateactionin
economicandpoliticalstructuresthatimpactthedailyrealitiesofpeopleofcolor.Partofracialliteracy,then,forWhite
people,isunderstandinghowthehistoricalandmaterialrealitiesofracismcausepeopleofcolorfeelanurgencyabout
changethatmustmovebeyondthediscursiverealm.Ontheotherhand,Jenna’sstrongidenti cationwiththecharacter
wasbasedonherowngrowingactivismanddevelopinganti-racistidentity.ForJenna,talkingaboutmattersofrace
andracismwithherfriendsandfamilyisrisky—sheadmitshowdif cultitistogetanyuptakearoundracialmatters
fromtheWhitepeopleinherlife.Partofracialliteracyforpeopleofcolor,mightincluderecognitionofthedifferent
stepsWhitepeopletakeastheylearntobecomeananti-racist.Bothgroupsneedmultipleopportunitiestodialogueon
raceinbothintra-andinter-racialgroupsandtolearnmoreabouthistoricalandmaterialconditionsthatmakeracism
andanti-racismpossible.
Thus,ouranalysisleadsustoareconstructedframeworkforracialliteracy—onethatincludesperspectivesfrom
bothcriticalracetheoryandwhitenessstudies.Wereturntoourearlierdiscussion,drawingonGuinier(2004)and
Twine(2004),butaddtotheirde nitionstheroleofaction.Racialliteracyinvolvesasetoftools(psychological,
conceptual,discursive,material)whichindividuals(bothpeopleofcolorandWhitepeople)usetodescribe,interpret,
explainandactontheconstellationofpractices(e.g.historical,economic,psychological,interactional)thatcomprise
racismandanti-racism.Actionsincludeabroadarrayofelements—includingdiscussingracialissues,readingand
writingaboutracialissues,bringingcriticalliteracytotextsaboutracism,interruptingracismintalkandaction,and
educatingoneselfabouttheeconomicrealitiesofinstitutionalracism.Beyondthesepracticesthatwerepartofthebook
clubformatandotheracademicspaces,actionthroughparticipationinorganizedeventsaroundanti-racism,eventsthat
worktheintersectionbetweenanti-racismandinequitiesinlanguageeducation,immigration,schoolreform,human
rights,andenvironmentalissues.
Earlierworkwithteachersaroundissuesofraceandculturehasfocusedonthediscursiveconstructionofwhite
talkandstrategiesthatteachersusetoavoidconversationsaroundrace(e.g.CaseandHemmings,2005;deFrietas,
2005;Willis,2003).Wewouldarguethatthesearticlesdocumentsuchpracticeswithoutacloseexaminationofhow
whitetalkispartofthepatternsofpracticesofindividualswhoparticipateinsuchdiscussions.Further,thework
withteachersthatexaminesracialunderstandingthroughnarrativeshasoftenbeenlessattentivetothewaysthatthe
participantsusesuchnarrativesasoneofmanymultimodalresources.Forexample,howdopatternsinthecrossingand
re-crossingoflegs,theproxemicsofthegroup,andothernonverbalcuesmarkengagement,disengagement,orshifting
understandings?Ourprolongedengagementasteacher-researchersanddatacollectedacrossethnographiccontexts
alongwithourongoingteachingandresearchsuggeststhatweneedamorecomplicatedwayofunderstandingthe
workthatagroupofinter-racialpeopledotogetherasagroup,includingthemultimodalwork.
Our ndingsindicatethatracialliteracyincludesnotonlywhatissigni edthroughverbalandnonverbalmodes
butalsohowitissigni ed.Muchofracialliteracyoccursunderthesurfaceofwords,whichiswhyweturned
toaframeworkthatdrewfrommultimodaldiscourseanalysis(Norris,2004)andcriticaldiscourseanalysis(Fair-
clough,2004;Gee,1999/2006).Ideologiesaroundracearecommunicatedthroughwhatissaid(andnotsaid)as
critical discourse analysis
R.Rogers,M.Mosley/LinguisticsandEducation19(2008)107–131127
wellasthroughbodylanguage,gestures,eyegaze,anduseofspace.Thesesemioticresourcescanfunctionon
theirown—withoutthepresenceoflanguage.Often,though,theyarecombinedwithverbalpracticesandwork
togethertocomplimentoremphasizeamessageor,conversely,tocontradictamessage.Toactualizetherelationships
betweenthelanguagebits(structureandsemanticsoflanguage)withlargersocialpractices,wecreatedahybrid
methodologicalconventionthatreliesontheorthographicconventionsof(smallcaseletter/uppercaseletter)pop-
ularizedbyGee(1999/2006)andthediscursiveframeworkofgenre,discourseandstylealaHalliday(1978)and
Fairclough(2004).Thatis,eachgenre,discourseandstylethatconstitutesaninteractionisstructuredbythelan-
guagebitsandbylargersocialpractices.Thisdiscursivestructuringisheldtogetherbyahybridsemioticthread
whichincludesmultimodalities.Wehaveconceptualizedmultimodalresourcesasdistributedacrossgenre,discourse
andstyle.Lookingattheinteractionsthroughthelensofmultimodalityofferedavantagepointtoobservemeaning
makingpracticesthatmighthaveotherwisegoneunnoticed.Forinstance,noticingthedifferenttypesofgestures
(e.g.pointed/sharpandwide/expansive)Chelseyusedinheranalysisoftheracialmetaphorsdepictedonthebook
coverhelpedustounderstandhercritiqueoftheartwork.ThroughourmultimodalanalysiswealsonoticedhowFaye
responded,nonverbally,toTodd’scommentabouthate-crimesagainstAfrican-Americans.Sheimmediatelylooked
downathernotebookandbegantowrite.Readingthisdiscomfort,signaledthroughbodylanguage,Jennadirectly
questionsToddtokeeptheconversationmoving.Mostcriticaldiscourseanalyseshavenotcloselyattendedtomul-
tiplemodalities,butouranalyticproceduresoftranscribingtalkandactionallowedustoseepatternsinhowthese
multimodalresourceswerestructuredandusedovertimebyparticipants.Methodsfortracingmultimodalengage-
mentaswaysofpositioningoneselfinrelationtoDiscoursesaboutraceandracismisanareathatwarrantsongoing
theorization.
8.1.Pedagogicalinsights
Everyinteractionholdsthepotentialfortheparticipantstocreatenewmeanings—throughthediscursivenetworking
ofgenres,discoursesandstyles.Manyanalysesofclassroomtalkaroundracehavenotcloselyattendedtothediscursive
threadsthatindividualsbringwiththemintoconversationsandhowslightshiftsindiscoursepatternsmightsignala
shiftinlearning.Suchshifts,wewouldargue,holdimplicationsforaction—mental,discursive,andmaterialaction.
Asweheardinthediscussion,asthediscursivethreadsintheconversationshiftandchange,so,toodothemental
formationswhichmayleadtotransformedwaysofactingandbeinginthesocialworld.
Asothersresearchershaveconvincinglyargued,bookclubswithinteachereducationclassroomscanprovidea
productivespaceforrehearsingrolesassociatedwithmulticulturalsociety(e.g.Florio-Ruane,2001;Lewisetal.,
2001).Themoreexperiencesteachers(pre-serviceandin-service)havewithracialliteracy,themorelikelytheyare
tosetuptheconditionsintheirownclassroomsforstudentstoengagewithracialliteracy.Thisinturnmightleadto
themseekingoutratherthansuppressingopportunitiestobecomeraciallyliterate.
Weneedtorecognizethattoacertainextent,thestudentsinthisstudywereinclinedtopersonalandintellectual
growthbecauseoftheirstatusasstudentsinateachereducationprogram.However,wealsoneedtorecognizethe
additionalconditionsthatmakesuchracialliteracyworkpossible.Wedesignedthecoursetobeanongoingcurricular
conversationaroundjusticeandequity.Throughacombinationofseminardiscussions,readings,onlinediscussions,
journalre ections,teachingexperiences,debrie ngwithcolleaguesaboutteachingandbookclubdiscussions—the
pre-serviceteachersinthisstudyhadavarietyofopportunitiestonotonlylearnaboutbutalsotolearnhowtointeract
withothersaroundracialliteracy.Overthecourseofayeartheyhadbuiltuprelationshipsandtrustnecessaryto
overcomerupturesindiscussionsanddifferentpointsofview.Weacknowledgethatthecommunitythatwasbuilt
mightnotbepossiblewiththetimeconstraintsofatraditionalsemestercourse.
Webelievetherearegreatpossibilitiesforexploringwithteachersthemicro-interactionsofdiscussionsaswe
havepresentedhere.Pedagogicallyitalsoseemsimportanttobuildinopportunitiesfortheparticipantstore ecton
theparticipantstructures,topics,andpositionsthatkepttheconversationmovingalong.Similarly,re ectingonthe
momentswheretherewasa ssureinthedialoguemightalsoproveinstructive.Teachereducatorsandteachersmight
applycriticalliteracyandcriticaldiscourseanalysispracticesusingvideo-recordingsandtranscriptsofdiscussions
aboutliteratureandanti-racismastexts.Ourawarenessofthepatternswithwhichpre-serviceteachersengagewith
racialliteracycomesfromsuchanalysisoftextasevidenceoflearning,andweareconvincedthatconversationslike
theoneshadaroundtheliteratureinourteachereducationclasshelpstobuildadiscursivehistory,which,inturn,
supportsthedevelopmentofracialliteracy.
正在阅读:
A critical discourse analysis of racial03-19
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