Internet Discourse and Health Debates: A Linguistic Approach to Health Risk Debates

Applying multimodal textual analysis to the languages and images of online communication forms, Kay Richardson shows, from an applied linguistic perspective, how the Internet is being used for global, interactive communication about public health risks. Detailed case studies of the possible risks posed by SARS, by mobile phones and by the vaccination of babies against childhood diseases are situated within the context of research on computer-mediated communication, as well as within the broader social context of globalization and discourses of risk and trust. Applying multimodal textual analysis to the languages and images of on-line communication forms, Kay Richardson shows, from an applied linguistic perspective, how the Internet is being used for global, interactive communication about public health risks. Detailed case studies of the possible risks posed by SARS, by mobile phones and by the vaccination of babies against childhood diseases are presented in depth. The author also explores the way in which, through their talk online, people appear to judge the mass media coverage of these topics. The analysis is qualitative rather than quantitative, and is situated within the context of research on computer-mediated communication, as well as within the broader social context of globalisation and discourses of risk and trust. Beyond the linguistic and online communication aspects, the book will interest anyone concerned with the issue of public perceptions of significant health risks "Applying multimodal textual analysis to the languages and images of online communication forms, Kay Richardson shows, from an applied linguistic perspective, how the Internet is being used for global interactive communication about public health risks. Detailed case studies of the possible risks posed by SARS, by mobile phones and by the vaccination of babies against childhood diseases are presented in depth. The author also explores the way in which, through their talk on line, people appear to judge the mass-media coverage of these topics. Beyond the linguistic and online communication aspects, the book will interest anyone concerned with the issue of public perceptions of significant health risks."--Jacket Front Matter....Pages i-viii Introduction....Pages 1-8 Computer-Mediated Communication and Language....Pages 9-30 Public Discourses of Risk, Health and Science....Pages 31-52 Mobile Phones and Brain Cancer....Pages 53-89 SARS....Pages 90-129 MMR and Autism....Pages 130-162 Constructions of Risk....Pages 163-194 The Internet and the Public Interest....Pages 195-209 Back Matter....Pages 210-236