Subjectivity, Language and the Postcolonial

This interdisciplinary book draws on theoretical work that exists at the intersection of critical social psychology, sociolinguistics and the political economy of language. It also draws on the empirical findings of research undertaken in the South African context on students' linguistic biographies. Divided into three sections, the book foregrounds the ways in which the work of Bourdieu could be read in conjunction with 'post-structural' theorists such as Butler and Derrida to offer a critical understanding of subjectivity, language and power in postcolonial contexts. This is an invaluable resource for students and researchers of social psychology, sociolinguistics, and sociology.

Introduction Chapter 1. Subjectivity, Language and Identity Chapter 2. The Symbolic economy Chapter 3. The paradox of subjection Chapter 4. The postcolonial symbolic economy Chapter 5. Subject positioning in the South African Symbolic Economy Conclusion