ABSTRACT

In this paper, we apply the concept of intertextuality – which entails a speaker or writer using language from another source – to better understand how a particular discursive strategy can be used to challenge systemic racism and white supremacy. Specifically we examine what we call intertextual co-optation – co-opting another’s words for one’s own purposes – and how this was harnessed by Black community advocates and their supporters in the case of a largely white suburban school district plagued by systemic racism and racist incidents. We employ Sandoval’s concept of meta-ideologizing to demonstrate how intertextual co-optation undermined the ideology of the district’s school board. We analyzed more than 13 hours of videos of school board meetings in this district, in which Black community members and their supporters critiqued the school board’s lack of substantive response to racist incidents. We found 20 instances of intertextual co-optation involving community members using a board member’s words against them. Specifically, this discursive strategy served to (a) expose board members’ hypocrisy and/or (b) discredit board members’ arguments by revealing and refuting unspoken assumptions and false premises. Ultimately, our analysis indicates the potential of intertextual co-optation as a discursive strategy of meta-ideologizing to disrupt dominant ideology and systemic racism.

摘要

在本文中，我们应用互文性的概念——这需要演讲者或作者使用来自其他来源的语言——以更好地理解如何使用特定的话语策略来挑战系统性种族主义和白人至上主义。具体来说，我们研究了我们所说的互文性选择——为了自己的目的而选择他人的话——以及黑人社区倡导者及其支持者如何在一个受系统性种族主义和种族主义事件困扰的白人郊区学区的情况下利用这一点. 我们采用桑多瓦尔的元意识形态概念来展示互文合作如何破坏学区学校董事会的意识形态。我们分析了该地区超过 13 小时的学校董事会会议视频，其中黑人社区成员及其支持者批评学校董事会对种族主义事件缺乏实质性反应。我们发现了 20 起涉及社区成员使用董事会成员的话来反对他们的互文共同选择的实例。具体来说，这种话语策略有助于 (a) 揭露董事会成员的虚伪和/或 (b) 通过揭示和驳斥不言而喻的假设和虚假前提来诋毁董事会成员的论点。最终，我们的分析表明，互文协同作为一种元意识形态化的话语策略具有破坏主导意识形态和系统性种族主义的潜力。这种话语策略有助于 (a) 揭露董事会成员的虚伪和/或 (b) 通过揭露和驳斥不言而喻的假设和虚假前提来诋毁董事会成员的论点。最终，我们的分析表明，互文协同作为一种元意识形态化的话语策略具有破坏主导意识形态和系统性种族主义的潜力。这种话语策略有助于 (a) 揭露董事会成员的虚伪和/或 (b) 通过揭露和驳斥不言而喻的假设和虚假前提来诋毁董事会成员的论点。最终，我们的分析表明，互文协同作为一种元意识形态化的话语策略具有破坏主导意识形态和系统性种族主义的潜力。