Exploding the Myth of Hierarchy of Power among Social Actors in Business Letters: A Two-Way Mediated Communicative Genre

Amani, Golchin

doi:10.22034/lda.2024.140487.1013

Exploding the Myth of Hierarchy of Power among Social Actors in Business Letters: A Two-Way Mediated Communicative Genre

Document Type : Original Article

Author

golchin amani

Ph.D. Candidate in English Language Teaching, Department of Language and Literature, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran

10.22034/lda.2024.140487.1013

Abstract

Abstract
The present study seeks to address power relations in Business Letters for all. As a means to exercise power among agents within different circumstances, Political Discourse Analysis by Fairclough and Fairclough (2012) will be employed. In addition, this study proposes the possibility by which the individuals’ values may become naturalized instruments to exercise power. Hierarchy of power is investigated in different kinds of arguments, reasonings and interactions in these letters. What has already been legitimized and naturalized in the interaction between the relational opposites is called into question. Thus, letter writing as a social practice becomes the mediating instrument between individuals which propel the conduction of events or actions on one hand and the organizations as structures on the other hand. That is, in a capitalist society, the owners and those in higher levels of social structure need to meet the individuals’ needs to proceed and achieve the promotion required for their survival.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Literary Discourse Aanalysis

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