Margaret Wetherell is a prominent academic in the area of discourse analysis

Discourse analysis

Discourse analysis , or discourse studies, is a general term for a number of approaches to analyzing written, spoken, signed language use or any significant semiotic event....

. Her 1987 book, Discourse and Social Psychology: Beyond Attitudes and Behaviour, cowritten with Jonathan Potter

Jonathan Potter

Jonathan Potter is Professor of Discourse Analysis and, from February 2010, Head of the Department of Social Sciences, at Loughborough University and one of the originators of discursive psychology.-Life:...

, was very influential, particularly in social psychology

Social psychology

Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all...

, though also in other fields (e.g. Wood & Kroger, 2000). While discourse analysis has many different meanings, Wetherell's approach has been quite catholic in line with other anglophone

Anglosphere

Anglosphere is a neologism which refers to those nations with English as the most common language. The term can be used more specifically to refer to those nations which share certain characteristics within their cultures based on a linguistic heritage, through being former British colonies...

 discourse analysts like Gilbert & Mulkay (1984).

Wetherell is currently Professor of Social Psychology at the Open University

Open University

The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...

 in the United Kingdom, http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/staff/people-profile.php?staff_id=927994 and leads a collaboration on identity funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). http://www.identities.org.uk/

Writings

• Potter, J., & Wetherell, M. (1987). Discourse and Social Psychology: Beyond Attitudes and Behaviour. London: Sage.
• Wetherell, M. (1998). Positioning and interpretative repertoires: Conversation analysis and post-structuralism in dialogue. Discourse and Society, 9(3), 387-412.
• Wetherell, M. (1999). Beyond Binaries Theory and Psychology, 9(3), 399-406.
• Wetherell, M. (2001a). Debates in Discourse Research In M. Wetherell, S. Taylor & S. J. Yates (Eds.), Discourse Theory and Practice - A Reader (pp. 380–399). London: Sage.
• Wetherell, M. (2001b). Editor's Introduction In M. Wetherell, S. Taylor & S. J. Yates (Eds.), Discourse Theory and Practice: A Reader. (pp. 9–13). London: Sage Publications.
• Wetherell, M. (2001c). Themes in Discourse Analysis: The Case of Diana In M. Wetherell, S. Taylor & S. J. Yates (Eds.), Discourse Theory and Practice - A Reader. London: Sage.
• Wetherell, M., & Edley, N. (1998). Gender Practices: Steps in the Analysisof Men and Masculinities In K. Henwood, C. Griffin & A. Phoenix (Eds.), Standpoints and Differences:Essays in the Practice of Feminist Psychology (pp. 165 – 173). London: Sage.
• Wetherell, M., & Edley, N. (1999). Negotiating Hegemonic Masculinity: Imaginary Positions and Psycho-Discursive Practices Feminism Psychology, 9(3), 335-356.
• Wetherell, M., & Potter, J. (1988). Discourse Analysis and the identification of interpretative repertoires. In C. Antaki (Ed.), Analysing everyday explanation: a casebook of methods. London: Sage.
• Wetherell, M., & Still, A. (1998). Realism and Relativism In R. Sapsford, A. Still, D. Miell, R. Stevens & M. Wetherell (Eds.), Theory and Social Psychology (pp. 99–114): Sage.
• Wetherell, M., Stiven, H. & Potter, J. (1987). Unequal egalitarianism: A preliminary study of discourses concerning gender and employment opportunities. British Journal of Social Psychology, 26, 59±71.
• Wetherell, M., Taylor, S., & Yates, S. J. (Eds.). (2001). Discourse as Data: A Guide for Analysis London: Sage.
• Wetherell, M., Taylor, S., & Yates, S. J. (Eds.). (2001). Discourse Theory and Practice: A Reader London: Sage Publications.