Identities across Media and Modes: Discursive Perspectives (Linguistic Insights)

The recognition that identity is mutable, multi-layered and subject to multiple modes of construction and de-construction has contributed to problematizing the issues associated with its representation in discourse, which has recently been attracting increasing attention in different disciplinary areas. Identity representation is the main focus of this volume, which analyses instances of multimedia and multimodal communication to the public at large for commercial, informative, political or cultural purposes. In particular, it examines the impact of the increasingly sophisticated forms of expression made available by the evolution of communication technologies, especially in computer-mediated or web-based settings, but also in more traditional media (press, cinema, TV). The basic assumption shared by all contributors is that communication is the locus where identities, either collective, social or individual, are deliberately constructed and negotiated.
In their variety of topics and approaches, the studies collected in this volume testify to the criticality of representing personal, professional and organizational identities through the new media, as their ability to reach a virtually unlimited audience amplifies the potential political, cultural and economic impact of discursive identity constructions. They also confirm that new highly sophisticated media can forge identities well beyond the simply iconic or textual representation, generating deeply interconnected webs of meaning capable of occupying an expanding – and adaptable – discursive space.

The Editors: Giuliana Garzone is Professor of English Linguistics and Translation at the Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. Her main field of investigation is specialized discourse in its different domains. She has co-ordinated various research projects and published extensively on legal language, scientific discourse, business communication and political discourse. Her other research interests include translation and interpreting studies.
Paola Catenaccio is a Tenured Researcher in English Linguistics and Translation at the Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. Her research interests are in the area of discourse analysis and LSP. In particular, she has published on media genres, professional discourse and corporate communication. She is involved in several national and international research projects.