Beyond Communities of Practice: Language Power and Social Context (Learning in Doing: Social, Cognitive and Computational Perspectives) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521836433 ISBN 13: 9780521836432

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2005

Synopsis

The concept of 'communities of practice' (Lave and Wenger 1991, Wenger 1998) has become an influential one in education, management, and social sciences in recent years. This book consists of a series of studies by linguists and educational researchers, examining and developing aspects of the concept which have remained relatively unexplored. Framings provided by theories of language-in-use, literacy practices, and discourse extend the concept, bringing to light issues around conflict, power, and the significance of the broader social context which have been overlooked. Chapters assess the relationship between communities of practice and other theories including literacy studies, critical language studies, the ethnography of communication, socio-cultural activity theory, and sociological theories of risk. Domains of empirical research reported include schools, police stations, adult basic education, higher education, and multilingual settings. The book highlights the need to incorporate thinking around language-in-use, power and conflict, and social context into communities of practice.

About this title

Book Description:

This book consists of a set of studies exploring the concept of 'communities of practice', which has been influential in social sciences, education, and management in recent years. Its main purpose is to emphasize the importance of areas such as language, power, and social context.

About the Author:

David Barton is Professor of Language and Literacy in the Department of Linguistics at Lancaster University. He is Director of the Lancaster Literacy Research Centre. His main work has been concerned with carrying out detailed studies of literacy practices in different domains of life and with rethinking the nature of literacy in contemporary society.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0521836433
• ISBN 13: 9780521836432
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 258
• Editor: Barton David, Tusting Karin