Remaining student centred : a critical discourse study of an adult literacy organisation's publicity in Aotearoa New Zealand from 1973 to 2009 : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, Massey University, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
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Date
2013
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Massey University
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Abstract
This thesis undertakes a historical critical discourse study of an adult
literacy provider’s publicity in Aotearoa New Zealand. It investigates
how the organisation attempted to publicise a critical literacy mission
and communicate with hard-to-reach learners within the structuring
effects of wider marketised publicity discourses and a hegemonic
functional account of literacy.
Drawing on Laclau and Mouffe’s Discourse Theory and Habermas’
critical theory of publicity, the research found that the case study
organisation, Literacy Aotearoa, was increasingly impacted by the need
to produce marketised publicity which centres on garnering positive
attention from state funding agencies and business. Despite the paradox
that in order to raise funds it had to publicise and in order to publicise it
had to raise funds, Literacy Aotearoa managed to produce glossy,
branded publicity in order to survive a tight fiscal environment. At the
same time, it also articulated a student-centred critical literacy discourse
in its publicity which was able to critique impediments to adult literacy
provision. In addition, Literacy Aotearoa carefully engaged with lowkey
publicity methods that were better suited to learners’ needs. This
reconciliation of diverse literacy and publicity needs was achieved, in
large part, due to the commitment, skills and resources of practitioners
and learners in the organisation.
However, because of the organisation’s need to identify with commonsense
understandings of literacy learners as “lacking”, stubborn deficit
discourses remained in the organisation’s publicity, which were at odds
with a more empowering learner identity, although these discourses
became less obvious in later years. In addition, the strain on the
organisation’s resources in adhering to accountability requirements in a
competitive funding environment impacted the organisation’s full
potential to connect with all learner audiences.
Building on previous recommendations for the sector, this thesis argues
that in order to increase the sector’s ability to reach a diverse range of
adult literacy learners, agencies should support learners to publicise in
their own social networks. It is also argued that this labour-intensive
publicity work, which better meets the particular information and
communication needs of adult literacy learners, should be recognised
and supported in state policy and funding.
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Keywords
Literacy Aotearoa, Publicity, Adult literacy, Functional literacy, New Zealand