What is Discourse? a la Michel Foucault: A Very Basic Explanation

[@yichengyi]

Can one imagine and fully express appreciation for the intellectual capacity of a fellow human who knows how to make one feel valued and inherently valuable using their second language? This person has put a lot of time into self-reflection, and it registers purposefulness with every exhalation. Thank you for your existence, fellow human!

[@masoodraja]

Thank you so much for your kind words.

[@yichengyi]

@masoodraja In the process of becoming "intellectuals," we often lose the sustained consciousness it requires to disrupt the systemic logic we started out intending to challenge. You didn't discuss reflexivity as an element of interpretation, but it was implicit to your delivery. My favorite part of your explanation was that you didn't place yourself as a transcendental agent/observer. We are all subject to the logic of various discursive spaces, but somehow, you've found a way to keep your own human-centered voice. I value you for your ability to communicate, but I sense you've done a lot of introspection. From your pacing to your carefulness in word choice, you are what each of us should aspire to be.

[@masoodraja]

@@yichengyi Thank you so much. This means a lot to me!!

[@liamborell]

As a student in a post modern class I have felt extremely lost in the class work. I do all the readings but gather very little from them. This explanation helped a ton and will make this paper far easier to write well !!!!!

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome and good luck on your paper.

[@KCCCX]

This means you're white , really.

[@sampritibhattacharyya7271]

This is immensely helpful for students like us. Please keep making videos on other ideas of Foucault.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I will as soon as I have some more free time:)

[@dorothykrizmanic414]

ml

[@sadiashah8879]

Thank You very much, May ALLAH Almighty make your life as easy and smooth as you make these difficult topics easy for us.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you so much.

[@imranazhar9532]

Thank you so much for making this video. You don't know how much this video has helped me understand about discourse, even though it was a brief explanation. Once again, thank you ever so much.

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@ambreenali.]

Thank you so much for making a video that explains Foucault's discourse in such an easy and student friendly manner. I was really struggling to grasp the basics of it, but the video made it quite clear for me.

[@masoodraja]

You are most welcome.

[@danielotieno9935]

I am writing the theory chapter of my PhD thesis in literary studies, and my focus is on the theory of representation through Hall's lense and Foucauldian arguments on discourse. Your explanation is helpful in understanding Foucault.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I am delighted my work is helpful.

[@rubbabawan9554]

Discussing the most basic ideas you are making those complicated concepts so easily understandable....keep growing and progressing✌️ JazakAllah al kher

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@iqranizamani4196]

LOVED THE VIDEO! never knew I'd be enjoying this subject! Loved the way you explained and clarified everything. Thank you for this.

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@sourathseelro3582]

😁 miss iqlo

[@iqranizamani4196]

@@sourathseelro3582 haha jii 😄 seriously buht interesting lagi video and itne easy way mein basic concepts iske clear hogaye hain na 😄

[@xxc17274]

Absolute love the chanel! I have a balkanic background but I asbsolutely love the way you teach. I am currently studying English studies and the chanel is a great Help.thank you

[@masoodraja]

Thank you and welcome.

[@anitaherlina5415]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You explain it very clearly and with simple words. I really like the way you explain it, easy and clear.

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@fillipwl1454]

Thank you so much, you have helped me so much in understanding this very difficult topic. Keep up the good work!!

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@motikumar9266]

Good discussion. In brief, you have attempted to present in very effective communication. Thanks.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@rashmirekhabarik7013]

I lov th way u teach sir seriously this is so smooth n gonna rock it on my paper

[@masoodraja]

Thank you for letting me know.

[@dannypang5348]

Watching from Mizoram, North East India. Thank you sir

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@Baronazim]

Really helpful. Love and best wishes from Bangladesh

[@masoodraja]

Thank you!!

[@priyankak.835]

Thank u soo much sir. We are fortunate enough to have an expert like you. Its my humble request to you sir.. Kindly make a video on Dynamics of Patriarchy.. And discourse on women/gender.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you so much. Sorry, I do not really have any worthwhile expertise on these subjects.

[@ndateelelahainima9784]

I am finally getting there....thank you Dr

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@jamesferry1523]

Hi Masood, great one! Towards the end there you said you'd include the link to "The Order of Things," but obviously you meant to say Archeology of Knowledge--just thought I'd point that out in case any confusion ensues. Just passed my comps, by the way, and your videos were a great help along the way, including the one about how to effectively approach the comps. :) I'm focusing on prison literature as a scholarly focus (I teach at a prison as well), thus Foucault is one of my main sources/influences. Very much looking forward to the series. Thanks!

[@masoodraja]

Thank you so much. Sorry for that error. I guess with your work with incarcerated people, Foucault will be a very apt philosopher to read. I usually teach an excerpt from Discipline and Punish. I will see if I can record something from that.

[@moazzamshafiq333]

Thank you for such a pleasant enlightenment

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@aftabali9460]

it was a very clear and precise explaination of a complicated concept.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you

[@tamimahmed1291]

Great class Sir. Thanks from Bangladesh.

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@sherylsteens4622]

Wonderful video, said so succinctly, thank you for sharing.

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@Sharon-tg9zm]

So easy to understand.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you

[@impact_ninja]

Great talk! Best regards from Poland 👍

[@masoodraja]

Thank you!!

[@amelmahmoud8221]

thank you...very clear and useful

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@MPoonam]

Sir I want to do a Post Doc research with respect to Foucault and Indo Pak partition, could you please suggest something around this. Would be very kind of you

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I don’t have any specific ideas about post docs. But you might want to look up professors who have worked on Foucault and see if you can work with any of them.

[@MPoonam]

@@masoodraja thank you so much Sir

[@lineahamukwaya844]

I would like to have a 1 on 1 discussion with you. Is this possible? We will discuss the rates as well.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Please email me at [e-mail] and I can set up a consultation call or use the calendar on my website to set up a call: masoodraja.com

[@lineahamukwaya844]

@@masoodraja Thank you. I have set up the call, and l have also saved your email address. You are heaven sent!

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Yes, I wrote you back. We will talk tomorrow and let us see what we can work on together.

[@maheensheriff355]

Is lecturing on a topic of knowledge a good example of discourse?

[@masoodraja]

I mean you will be in a discourse as you lecture. But I recommend reading Foucault to find more comprehensive answers.

[@somewhatarya]

Thank you so much for this awesome Video! Best wishes from Germany! :)

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome!

[@Bakkienouklaar]

Simply the best.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@sayantipalit9255]

Sir, could you make a video on Foucaludian discourse analysis as research method

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I do have a video on Colonial Discourse. I have intentionally not recorded anything on Discourse Analysis because in India and Pakistan it is done in reductive and mechanistic way, a la Fairclough, so my take on it would be completely different.

[@sayantipalit9255]

@@masoodraja Sir can I get your mail ID...I have something to ask regarding my research

[@alimafatima3034]

Such a wonderful explanation.. Thank you

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@AsifAli-yo3pr]

Is discourse and discourse analysis the same or different?

[@masoodraja]

Obviously discourse analysis uses an understanding of discourse but most DA analysis tends to be reductive. A good example of use of discourse in Faucauldian send is Edward Said’s Orientalism

[@AsifAli-yo3pr]

@@masoodraja Thank you sir. I have watched Edward Said's orientalism from your channel. A part from, I do watch your English Literature and Urdu videos, which are helpful for me.

[@masoodraja]

@@AsifAli-yo3pr Great. When you have time please read Orientalism: it is a great example of discourse analysis that uses Foucault.

[@AsifAli-yo3pr]

@@masoodraja G Sir. I have watched your Urdu version as well as English. As discourse analysis is my subject in Literature. So I will study orientalism by Edward Said profoundly.

[@zetasportworld1325]

Hello sir, Could you please explain what do you mean by 'discursive'. The meanings that i found online do not fit with the context of your lecture.

[@masoodraja]

Here is a link to a video that explains it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3zSnn5on82ZbLs

[@zetasportworld1325]

@@masoodraja i really appreciate it sir, you are great. Thanks alot

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@niesta8843]

Beautifully done. Can't wait to binge watch all of your videos ...

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@hadyjs1]

There are many discourses running parallel at any time; however, some discourses are dominant compared with others. For instance, regarding gender, the most dominant discourse is cultural/religious/ traditional discourse but gradually it is being replaced by feminist discourse. my query is from where does any specific discourse come from? any authority or power that develops it to fulfill their own agenda?

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I suggest reading Foucault’s Archeology of Knowledge, for that would enable you to clearly grasp what Foucault means by discourse. I have partially answered your question in the video but a careful reading of the book will probably help you understand it better.

[@AyeshaAyesha-hj6sb]

How faucault's concept of discourse is associated with the concept of orientalism or how they can interrealate

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I would say read them both and see how they are connected. If you need my views, they are included in my discussion of Edward Said and my discussion of the introduction to Orientalism.

[@snjkvdevotional]

Are Discourse Analysis and Discourse Studies different? If asked to, how do we differentiate between the two? Professor, please clarify either in text or in a video.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. They are not different, but most Pakistani and Indian Universities use a very reductive model of it. I do not have a video on it, but maybe some day I will record one.

[@snjkvdevotional]

@@masoodraja Thank you for your prompt reply.

[@parantapchakraborty7484]

Sir thank you so much for this wonderful lecture. Would like to know more about Colonial discourse analysis.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I think one could very easily use discourse to do any kind of analysis. I do not teach CDA, as I find it a bit reductive but feel free to use it in your work.

[@maheensheriff355]

Does that mean that Discourse actually means influence on our thinking

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I think it is deeper than that. Not just our thinking but what we assume to be true and normative. As the video title suggests, this is barely an intro. I would suggest reading Foucault carefully.

[@shoaibmansoor7644]

Loved listening to this very interesting and informative stuff! 👍❤️

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@Idkwhyweneedthis]

what are the limits of foucauldian discourse u think?

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Sorry, it is not possible to answer this in comments. Maybe some day when I have time, I will record something on it.

[@Idkwhyweneedthis]

@@masoodraja I will have a presentation abt discourse this week 😭 and it took me some days just to understand the definitions, relations btw discourse power and knowledge but when it comes to the limits of discourse theory, i can’t figure out. This is so abstract

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I guess you could do a search on critiques of Foucault. But the best way to tackle this is to read Foucault, read critiques of Foucault and discourse, and then make up your own mind. There are no correct or single answers to such questions

[@anlace3447]

what a great video, helped a great deal! just one quick question (and I saw your video "what is discursive")... how would you define "a discursive strategy of power"? when something is shown to be a "discursive strategy of power"? This expression really stuck with me, I read it somewhere in something about Kant trying to reveal the noumenal world, and that induction and abstraction and generalization were words related to the Western tradition of trying to have metaphysical mastery (over smth).... I really wish i could find the article, I still can't make out that expression "discursive strategy of power"...many thanks again for the great vid!!

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I am not sure how to define discursive strategy of power, as the term presupposes a central locus of power.

[@CesarRodriguez-mo6lz]

Thank you! You are an amazing help.

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@hajraarif7189]

Sir how can ı contact you? ı really need your guidance for my research.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. My email is listed on the about page. At this time I am only working with clients who come to me from my coaching website. So, I am afraid I probably will not be of much help.

[@critique5609]

Thank you very much.

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@critique5609]

@@masoodraja I have gone through your classes. Excellent videos, your examples are really helpful to understand.

[@masoodraja]

@@critique5609 Thank you so much.

[@mahnoormalik3991]

السلام علیکم سر۔۔۔۔i am from Pakistan and doing my thesis on language politics.....what is the basic theory behind language politics.....

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I am sorry. There is no single theory. I would recommend reading Foucault, Ngugi, and many others and that might be helpful.

[@abidgull1]

Sir as you mentioned Focaults discourse on gender : can you explify how hijab can be discussed with respect to focaults discourse?

[@masoodraja]

I guess if you read Foucault carefully, you should be able see how and what discourse produces the practice. Obviously, I cannot just answer this in one comment:)

[@abidgull1]

@@masoodraja Actually I'm reading it from an exam perspective where I have to mostly read generalised content. And my exam needs a current affair oriented approach and hijab has been a topic of immense debate apparently nowadays here in India.With regards, Could you make a short video on it?

[@hadyjs1]

Dear Dr. Masood, waiting for your other videos regarding Foucault :)

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Please check the channel. There are some more on Foucault’s work as well.

[@kemi6498]

This is amazing! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Foucault; thank you for the intellectual labour! I am reading Discipline and Punish-the Birth of the Prison.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. As I said this is just a very basic explanation. I will probably also record on D and P.

[@navneetkaur3427]

amazing video. very enlightening

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@Iq.prints]

اي كُتب تقترحها لنا بهذا الموضوع أستاذ

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I would recommend his Archeology of Knowledge.

[@Raushan2100]

Thank you

[@masoodraja]

You're welcome

[@divankarsingh]

Thank you, Sir. It was so helpful..

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@divankarsingh]

@@masoodraja Sir...Please make a video on the difference between Archaeology and Genealogy. I intend to do my research on Foucault.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I will see what I can do some time in the future but I do discuss it in one of the videos on Foucault. Otherwise, though, reading all of his works would be a good start if that is your area of research

[@divankarsingh]

Yes Sir. I'll read them. Thank you.

[@FarsiAutismAware]

very helpful, Thank you

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@amelakn]

Excellent video!

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@meghasingh5954]

sir i want to connect with you to gain more knowledge and experiance i feel you can explain really well as i wanted sir.please tell me how to connect you

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Sadly, I do not offer individual consultations other than what is available on my coaching website: masoodraja.com

[@qunfayaqun777]

Great understanding of discourse. Sir , if you kindly can present analysis of language and power by fairclough.? That would be great.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Sorry, I have no expertise in his work.

[@qunfayaqun777]

@@masoodraja Got it sir.

[@khanimran3592]

Wonderfl and informative video

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@peterrezel5274]

Thank you for this brief but very informative introduction to Discourse. Focualt talks of a concept of ‘regularities of dispersion’ which I have had difficulty in understanding. Can you please explain this with examples?

[@peterrezel5274]

…Foucault

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. It is very hard to answer your question because I don’t know the context of the work from where you are citing. But in most cases, such terms become clear if you read the context in which they are invoked. I have rough idea about what means but not good enough to hazard an opinion.

[@peterrezel5274]

@@masoodraja Thank you for taking the time to reply. I came across the expression in the book "Hegemony and Socialist Strategy - Towards a Radical Democratic Politics by Enesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe. The particular paragraph which contains this expression reads: "The type of coherence we attribute to discursive formation is - with the difference we will indicate later - close to that which characterizes the concept of "discursive formation" formulated by Foucault: regularity of dispersion. (Hope this helps)

[@masoodraja]

@@peterrezel5274 Yes, I guess you will have to follow the Foucault reference they provide. Dispersion in Foucault is usually about any possible tangents to whatever is being proffered as the main narrative of history.

[@peterrezel5274]

@@masoodraja Thank you. The reference is to the Archaeology of Knowledge. I have the book and I will see if I could trace the reference.

[@mardianaradzi82]

thanks sir for the clear explaination about Foucault. Regarding archaelogy & genealogy in Foucault's discourse, it is correct if i summaries in archaelogy referring to any formal information from government & genealogy is public opinon. hope to hear from u soon sir. thanks sir.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. No it is certainly not that. Please watch the video again. I don’t recall making that claim at all, and if I did that would be totally wrong.

[@masoodraja]

You might find a better discussion of it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHmWqnWlj65-aZo

[@mardianaradzi82]

@@masoodraja thanks sir..

[@mardianaradzi82]

@@masoodraja oh sir, actually it is my own understanding & perseption. sorry for the misunderstanding. i'm doing my own research about covid19's information been shattered between what's from the authority & the public opinion which based on informal information. these situation make us confuse turned chaos

[@masoodraja]

Okay. Thank you for clarifying that. I think it would be better read Foucault carefully and then see if your assumptions are correct.

[@haidernisarswati4827]

Please record a lecture on “What is academic approach?”

[@masoodraja]

Thanks. Sorry, I have no idea what that is nor have I ever used this term.

[@Deadpoetiky]

Who are the experts of moral discourse?

[@masoodraja]

It will depend on which discourse you are in: could be mullahs, priests, rabbis, moral philosophers etc etc. whosever is an enunciating subject in any given moral discourse.

[@spoorthisggurumurthy8656]

So useful video sir 👌🤗

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@maheensheriff355]

Does that mean continuous discourse has a sub conscious influence on behaviour

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Foucault would not psychologize it but you can decide how you use it.

[@infinitafenix3153]

Hello professor,! very nice this one, I very much like Foucault and look forward to read more... Got a question if it's posible to answer it succinctly: I wonder what would be the relationship between discourse and culture?

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. We could say that our understanding of cultural norms is discursively produced and culture itself also is a kind of discourse.

[@infinitafenix3153]

@@masoodraja I think it's clearer now... I'm reading The Archeology of Knowledge but find it difficult. Thank you.

[@masoodraja]

@@infinitafenix3153 Cool. I am retreading my Foucault and will soon have some more in his work.

[@reversefulfillment9189]

Nice drapes and discourse.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@faisalhayat1328]

Kmal sir.... thts really grt.. can you please record a lecture on Histiriographic metafiction and intertextuakity

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Please just watch the webinar on Linda Hutcheon and these concepts are discussed there.

[@masoodraja]

I have made the videos on these concepts public. Please do a channel search for these terms and they will show up.

[@hadyjs1]

very informative!

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@ansenvarghese7954]

Sir this was very enlightening. Could you please do a video on What is an Author by Foucault

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I will probably sometime in the future.

[@Amalxheikh]

Keep continuing

[@masoodraja]

Thank you

[@oduogimaurice974]

Dr. Masood Raja, thank you! Your video lectures provides deep insights on postcolonial discourses.4 Kindly Dr. Masood, I humblly request that you help me understand the formulation "Power-Knowledge" according to the Professor of History of Systems of Thought, Michel Foucault. It'll be helpful ìf you record a vedeo presentation on the link/relationship between POWER and KNOWLEDGE/DISCOURSE according to Foucault. Thank you Professor.

[@masoodraja]

Thank you for your kind words. I am traveling without my books these days. If I ever get some time to reread Foucault, I will probably record this. Please do post it under this video as well, so that I put it on my list: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmK8ZKWemZ2Zd5Y

[@hassamalikazmi7775]

Sir pleasw Explain Good and Bad Writer According to Focoult

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I would let you decide that, as I have no opinion on this.

[@muhammadahmadjillani6862]

sir kindly differentiate between enunciated subjects vs objects of knowledge with an example

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. I think it is explained in the video. It’s enunciating subjects not enunciated.

[@muhammadahmadjillani6862]

@@masoodraja yes you have mentioned but the idea of object of study or knowledge is not clear like enunciating* subjects like you have given an example of psychologist

[@masoodraja]

@ The enunciating subjects are those who have the power to designate things and object of study is that what they study and claim expertise in. You can read Foucault for a more nuanced understanding, as the videos are just an introduction.

[@muhammadahmadjillani6862]

@@masoodraja sir can you tell me what is individualizable group statement.

[@masoodraja]

@ I am sorry I have no clear idea about it.

[@ansaaarul2250]

Thanks

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@Shylark777]

Sir please engage Norman Fairclough model.........

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. Please see my response to your other comment.

[@anaghaanagha9242]

Amazing😍

[@masoodraja]

Thanks

[@karimmallak]

So basically, Edward Said said that Orientalism is a larger discourse that contains power and knowledge?

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. He said more than that. Please read the book and see what else he argues.

[@queensmiley69]

Very nice

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@anaghaanagha9242]

Plz send me the notes

[@masoodraja]

There are no notes. I have never used notes to teach.

[@simranmishra7622]

It's seems very difficult to understand btw got few points.. thankeww ❤️

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.

[@niharikaranjan4048]

Sir.. plz explain Identity crisis in literature

[@masoodraja]

Thanks. There can be several kind of identity crises so see which novel you are reading and what causes a crisis crisis f identity.

[@niharikaranjan4048]

Plz do explain Identity crisis in the novel called "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse".

[@masoodraja]

@@niharikaranjan4048 Hi. I only deal with novels in my area of expertise. I offer general conceptual knowledge and beyond that people are expected to read at their own and come up with their own analysis.

[@niharikaranjan4048]

Thank u for encouraging sir,

[@yassineyassine4557]

well-explained

[@masoodraja]

Thank you.

[@sumayyahidrees5420]

is your hair really green?

[@masoodraja]

Thank you. No it’s not:) it gets that hue when I sometimes use a green screen.

[@arithottamneelakandan4364]

❤❤❤❤

[@timmyhiggins5220]

This stuff is so abstact I really struggle with it

[@masoodraja]

Thanks. So do I.

[@yaashikagarg]

Thank you so much sir ! This was very simple to follow and of much help🤍

[@masoodraja]

You are welcome.