Discourse Essay

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Nick Leighton- 2482367- Language and Discourse “The existence of discourse comes from studying and comparing texts and communicative events. What is forbidden by discourse in one cultural context may be justified by the discourse in a different cultural context. Discuss these ideas by comparing notions of ‘Australian Identity’ in 2 separate texts.” Topic: ‘Straight Edge’ sub- culture vs ‘contemporary’ Australian culture represented in ‘Straight Edge as an Australian Youth Subculture’ by Pam Nilan and ‘Bob Hawke skulls a beer at the SCG’ posted by YouTube user ‘MrGlennBrandon’. ‘Straight Edge as an Australian Youth Subculture’ – “do not: drink alcohol or take recreational drugs, indulge in promiscuous sexual activity, or smoke tobacco”. (Nilan: 2006). Struggle with ‘ordinary’ hegemonic masculinity. ‘Bob Hawke skulls a beer at the SCG’ - Binge drinking a prevalent part of Australian culture. My essay will focus on the normalization of alcohol in Australia and the masculinity within Australian culture being driven by drinking, smoking and having sex as soon as possible. Straight Edge masculinity focuses on the ability to fight these urges every day. I will use ‘Bob Hawke skulls a beer at the SCG’ to show the acceptance of drinking to excess in Australia and ‘Straight Edge as an Australian Youth Subculture’ to show the opposition to the same idea. It is through these texts we see that ‘what is forbidden by discourse in one cultural context may be justified by the discourse in a different cultural context’. Intro quote: “In a disordered, fragmented world, men seek comfort by controlling the only thing they can, themselves.” (Haenfler 2006: 122). Paragraph One: Define ‘Contemporary’ Australian culture (brief history). Refer to ‘Bob Hawke skulls a beer at the SCG’ - Setting- At the SCG, an iconic Australian cricket ground- stereotypes Australia. Many

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