Exploring the Accents of Discourse: Q Methodology, the Essex School, and the Logics Approach

Abstract

Questions of methodology have been an ever-present and thorny issue for Essex School Political Discourse Theory. Glynos & Howarth’s Logics approach represents a significant attempt to develop a series of concepts and research principles that sought to address the Essex School’s methodological deficit. The Logics approach requires researchers to use their situated abilities and knowledge to connect theoretical insights to empirical phenomena via appropriate research techniques. One such technique that stands out as being suited to Essex School inspired approaches is Q methodology. Q and discursive approaches are by no means strangers, however, the comparative lack of Q studies that draw from the Essex School and a general lack of contact between respective traditions merits further consideration. The impetus for this article is that the key theoretical and methodological underpinnings of Q and Essex School discourse theory are complementary and can be made commensurate for discourse-inspired Q studies. In bringing these respective traditions into closer dialogue, this article contributes to reinforce and supplement conceptualisations of political subjectivity and discourse as well as the means of interpretating the empirical outputs of Q. In so doing, adding to the methodological toolboxes of both Q and Political Discourse Theory.