Discourse and Institutions

Abstract

In this paper, we argue that the processes underlying institutionalization have not been adequately investigated and that discourse analysis provides a coherent framework for such investigation.Accordingly, we develop a discursive model of institutionalization that highlights the relationship between texts, discourse, institutions and action.Our model begins with the relationship between action and discourse, and argues that action primarily affects discourse through the production of texts that are drawn on by other actors and subsequently become embedded in broader discourses.We go on to argue that discourse affects action through the production of institutions, which are associated with self-regulating mechanisms that constrain their meaning and enforce their usage.Based on this discursive model, we propose a set of conditions under which institutionalization processes are most likely to occur and conclude the paper with an exploration of the model's implications for other areas of research.