Gee, Swales, and Johns

By now, we have read both pieces by John Swales and James Paul Gee regarding their respective ideas about discourse communities and their function. Writing About Writing suggests that a dialogue or conversation is occurring between the two writers as we read. On the one side we have Swales and his systematic breakdown of what he views as “the six important features of any public discourse community”. Among his key points are that a discourse community has to be centered on the idea of operating in an inclusive manner (as opposed to an exclusive manner).

In Gee’s view, a discourse community functions in a manner opposite to that of Swales’ community. In other words, Gee’s communities operate in an exclusive manner where those included are part of the “dominant group”. To me, it seemed implied that this idea is generally tied in with power and socioeconomic standing. Gee talks about the dominant group using “tests” to feel out the literacy of outsiders as a means to exclude them, as well as to “get the right person” when seeking someone for a position or job.

Then along comes Ann Johns. She backs up Swales points regarding his six key traits of a discourse community, even directly referencing them early on in her own article. She then goes on to relate the various aspects of Swales’ points to instances where they occur in her life; her mother’s AARP membership, her husband’s international bicycling group, to name a couple. Johns also brings more to the table for discussion. She makes mention of the topic of convention vs. anti-conventionalism, where she compares the tendency for established writers to part ways with what is considered conventional while students are required to learn and write in a rigidly conventional manner, ‘lest they be “torn apart” by their instructors. Johns also discusses the issue of authority in communities: asserting that those who are considered the “authority” in their community could (either consciously or otherwise) impose their values and beliefs on the rest of the community.