Researching Participation using Critical Discourse Analysis

This chapter discusses my reflections as a researcher on the use of critical discourse analysis as a research approach for understanding notions of participation within education curriculum materials. It identifies my journey through the process of identifying a suitable approach to explore my research problem, and the chapter begins by presenting the research problem that I sought to explore. The remainder of the chapter has three parts. The first part charts the conceptual and theoretical frame for a research design that meets the dual challenge of being located within a critical paradigm and developing a rigorous research approach to convince bureaucrats who might ordinarily favour quantitative forms of research. The second part of the chapter explores critical discourse analysis as a research approach that met this dual challenge. The design and outcomes of the research process provide a contribution towards making the theoretical practical in terms of critical research approaches. The final part details recommendations for researchers and practitioners interested in using critical discourse analysis to explore participation, identifying possible future directions for environmental and health education research.

Keywords critical discourse analysis, citizenship education materials, discourses of citizenship, action competence, research reflexivity