Projects per year
Abstract
Scotland, as a modern western and increasingly globalised context, seems to sit between colonialism and postcolonialism: as an instrument and beneficiary of the British colonial empire, and as a context subsumed by English and Englishness as a most valued cultural commodity. Now, more than ever, it seems necessary 1) to see how power works through everyday language and texts in order to interrogate them and reimagine a more socially just future, and 2) to consider how diversity and difference can be viewed and used as a resource for sustainable futures.
In my discussion here, I hope to explore three main ideas: One, how texts (in the broadest sense) are intrinsically related to issues of power in socio-cultural context. Two, how an analysis of texts might reveal the social issues and dominant ideologies of a place and time, and three, how critical literacy might enable the (re)reading and (re)writing of texts in ways that confront and challenge problematic relations of power. I begin with a brief discussion on texts and their relationship with power before exploring an example of an everyday text. Finally, I discuss two examples from my own practice as a researcher and lecturer in critical literacies (on a PGDE English programme) that serve to illustrate possibilities for personal and classroom practice.
In my discussion here, I hope to explore three main ideas: One, how texts (in the broadest sense) are intrinsically related to issues of power in socio-cultural context. Two, how an analysis of texts might reveal the social issues and dominant ideologies of a place and time, and three, how critical literacy might enable the (re)reading and (re)writing of texts in ways that confront and challenge problematic relations of power. I begin with a brief discussion on texts and their relationship with power before exploring an example of an everyday text. Finally, I discuss two examples from my own practice as a researcher and lecturer in critical literacies (on a PGDE English programme) that serve to illustrate possibilities for personal and classroom practice.
Original language | English |
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Type | The Anti-Racist Educator |
Media of output | Blog |
Place of Publication | Glasgow, Scotland |
Publication status | Published - 22 Oct 2019 |
Keywords
- critical literacy
- decoloniality
- critical multimodal discourse analysis
- teaching english
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Research output
- 3 Other contribution
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How can we all continue to support Diverse Stories throughout the year after #BHM?
Govender, N., 30 Nov 2020Research output: Other contribution
Open Access -
Literacy, language and power
Govender, N., 6 Nov 2020, Scotland, UKResearch output: Other contribution
Open Access -
Critical literacy: the Four Resources model & (teaching) reading
Govender, N., 6 Nov 2019, 7 p. Scotland, UKResearch output: Other contribution
Open Access
Impacts
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The Anti-Racist Educator: Mission statement
Navan Govender (Participant)
Impact: Public understanding, information and debate
Prizes
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Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
Govender, Navan (Recipient), 15 Dec 2021
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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Activities
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We are all semioticians (Keynote)
Navan Govender (Speaker)
2 Jul 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Multimodality: Inclusion, Assessment & Social Justice Education (symposium)
Navan Govender (Speaker), Jane Catlin (Speaker) & Emma Van Dinter (Speaker)
1 Jul 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Clusters of Meaning(-Making): Critical Discourse Analysis and Decolonial Praxis
Navan Govender (Recipient)
19 May 2022Activity: Public Engagement and Other Activities › Types of Public engagement and outreach - To be assigned