15 Important MCQs on Episteme/Discourse Theory in Social Work
Master Episteme and Discourse Theory with 15 expertly crafted MCQs, complete with answers and detailed explanations. Perfect for students and researchers!
In social work, Michel Foucault’s Episteme and Discourse Theory examines how knowledge and power shape social practices, institutions, and individual identities within specific historical contexts. An episteme is the underlying framework that defines what is considered valid knowledge in a given period, while discourse refers to the systems of statements and practices that produce and circulate this knowledge, often reinforcing power structures.
In social work, this theory highlights how professional practices, such as assessments or interventions, are influenced by dominant discourses (e.g., medical or legal frameworks) that define "normal" or "deviant" behavior, thereby shaping client interactions and outcomes. For example, in child welfare, the discourse of "risk assessment" may prioritize standardized tools and bureaucratic processes, framing families as potential threats rather than as partners in collaborative solutions, thus influencing social workers’ interventions and perpetuating systemic biases
15 Important MCQs on Episteme and Discourse Theory
1. Who introduced the concept of "episteme" in
discourse analysis?
A) Pierre Bourdieu
B) Michel Foucault
C) Anthony Giddens
D) Jürgen Habermas
Answer: B) Michel Foucault
Explanation: Foucault introduced "episteme" to describe the underlying structures of knowledge in different historical periods.
2. What does an "episteme" primarily refer to?
A) A set of legal rules
B) The economic structure of society
C) The framework that defines what is considered knowledge in a particular era
D) The moral values of a culture
Answer: C) The framework that defines what is considered knowledge
in a particular era
Explanation: An episteme is the underlying structure that shapes what is accepted as knowledge within a historical period.
3. In Foucault’s theory, what is a "discourse"?
A) A conversation between two people
B) A system of statements that define what can be said, thought, and believed
C) A scientific experiment
D) A political party’s manifesto
Answer: B) A system of statements that define what can be said,
thought, and believed
Explanation: Foucault saw discourse as a system that governs the production of knowledge and meaning.
4. Which of the following is a key methodological work by
Foucault on discourse analysis?
A) Discipline and Punish
B) The History of Sexuality
C) The Archaeology of Knowledge
D) Madness and Civilization
Answer: C) The Archaeology of Knowledge
Explanation: This work outlines Foucault’s method of discourse analysis and the concept of episteme.
5. What is the main focus of Critical Discourse Analysis
(CDA) in social work?
A) Economic policy
B) The study of language structure
C) Examining how discursive practices establish and maintain power and
oppression
D) Biological factors in behavior
Answer: C) Examining how discursive practices establish and
maintain power and oppression
Explanation: CDA is used to analyze how language and discourse shape social relations and power dynamics, which is central to social work’s mission.
6. Which of the following best describes the relationship
between discourse and power according to Foucault?
A) Discourse is independent of power
B) Discourse is a tool for entertainment
C) Discourse shapes and is shaped by power relations
D) Power only exists outside of discourse
Answer: C) Discourse shapes and is shaped by power relations
Explanation: Foucault emphasized that discourse is a fundamental element of power in society.
7. Which approach in discourse analysis focuses on how
identity and social relationships are constructed through language?
A) Socio-cognitive approach
B) Structural functionalism
C) Rational choice theory
D) Psychoanalysis
Answer: A) Socio-cognitive approach
Explanation: van Dijk’s socio-cognitive approach examines how discourse, cognition, and society interact to construct identity and social relations.
8. In social work, why is it important to analyze
dominant discourses?
A) To reinforce stereotypes
B) To understand and challenge normalized beliefs that may perpetuate
oppression
C) To ignore minority voices
D) To focus only on economic issues
Answer: B) To understand and challenge normalized beliefs that may
perpetuate oppression
Explanation: Analyzing dominant discourses helps social workers address social justice concerns and challenge systemic inequalities.
9. What is meant by "counter-discourses" in
critical discourse analysis?
A) Discourses that support the status quo
B) Discourses that challenge dominant narratives
C) Discourses that are neutral
D) Discourses that are only found in textbooks
Answer: B) Discourses that challenge dominant narratives
Explanation: Counter-discourses offer alternative perspectives that can disrupt dominant power structures.
10. Which of the following is NOT a typical area where
discourse analysis is applied in social work?
A) Policy analysis
B) Direct practice
C) Weather forecasting
D) Media communications
Answer: C) Weather forecasting
Explanation: Discourse analysis in social work is commonly used in policy, practice, and media, not meteorology.
11. Why is the concept of "episteme" important
for social work research?
A) It helps identify the unchanging truths of society
B) It reveals how knowledge and power relations are historically contingent
C) It focuses only on individual behavior
D) It ignores historical context
Answer: B) It reveals how knowledge and power relations are
historically contingent
Explanation: Understanding the episteme helps social workers see how knowledge is shaped by historical and social forces.
12. What does Fairclough’s dialectical-relational
approach in CDA emphasize?
A) The separation of discourse and society
B) The mutually informing relationship between discourse and social structures
C) The irrelevance of language in social issues
D) The focus solely on individual cognition
Answer: B) The mutually informing relationship between discourse
and social structures
Explanation: Fairclough’s approach sees discourse and social structures as dialectically related..
13. How can discourse analysis contribute to social
justice in social work?
A) By maintaining the status quo
B) By exposing and challenging oppressive discourses
C) By focusing only on economic policies
D) By ignoring marginalized voices
Answer: B) By exposing and challenging oppressive discourses
Explanation: Discourse analysis can help social workers identify and disrupt language that perpetuates oppression.
14. According to Gee’s approach, what does discourse help
construct?
A) Only economic policies
B) Identity and social relationships
C) Physical infrastructure
D) Weather patterns
Answer: B) Identity and social relationships
Explanation: Gee’s approach focuses on how discourse constructs
identity and social relationships, which are inherently political.
15. What is a potential outcome of using critical
discourse analysis in social work organizations?
A) Strengthening oppressive systems
B) Identifying and reconstructing policies for greater equity and justice
C) Ignoring ethical considerations
D) Promoting only individual change
Answer: B) Identifying and reconstructing policies for greater
equity and justice
Explanation: CDA can inform the redesign of policies and practices to align with social justice values in social work.
Reference
- Critical
Legal Thinking. (2017, November 17). Michel Foucault: Discourse.
https://criticallegalthinking.com/2017/11/17/michel-foucault-discourse/ - Sage
Journals. (2010). Discourse Analysis, Foucault and Social Work Research.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1468017310363641 - Foucault
News. Key Concepts.
https://michel-foucault.com/key-concepts/ - JSTOR.
Foucault on Discourse and Power.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41801502 - Gautam,
B. (2024). Critiques of Development using Foucault's Discourse and Power.
Journey for Sustainable Development and Peace Journal, 2(1), 86–102.
https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/jsdpj/article/download/63253/47858 - ERIC.
(2024). A Longitudinal Examination of Foucault's Theory of Discourse.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1394887.pdf - University
of Newcastle. On Discourse and Representation: Reflections on Michel
Foucault's Approach.
https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/services/Download/uon:6048/ATTACHMENT01 - Wikipedia.
The Order of Things.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Order_of_Things
Comments