Global Communication Within Reimagined Big "D" Discourses Across Boundaries: Discourses in International Online Affinity Spaces

• In Event: International Educational Research

Abstract

As literacy environments have been changing more global and digital, this study tries to re-imagine the seminal theoretical concept of big "D" Discourse. The concept of Discourse is developed beyond physical, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic boundaries in the globally networked world. Based on re-imagined big "D" Discourse, distinguishing features of global communication and discourses in international online affinity spaces are explored. Two websites were selected as examples of international online affinity spaces, where people all over the world gather together and communicate with each other. Results show that big "D" Discourse can be expanded across boundaries of language and culture and people use their own unique social languages beyond a variety of languages and modes.

Authors

• Kewman M. Lee, Missouri State University

• James Paul Gee, Arizona State University