Dr Jodie Clark
Senior Lecturer In English Language
Summary
I chose linguistics as an area of study when I discovered how much is revealed when you look closely at people’s ‘everyday’ language use – particularly what it reveals about society. In my book Selves, Bodies and the Grammar of Social Worlds (Palgrave), I use grammatical analysis of everyday accounts to explore and reimagine social structures. My method is informed by Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and postmodern social theory.
About
Prior to taking up a post with the English language team at Sheffield Hallam in 2008, I worked and studied in universities in the UK, the US and France. Originally from the east coast of the USA, I taught English at the University of Paris and served as director for a study abroad programme with the University of Strasbourg before moving to the UK. My PhD is from Loughborough University.
I am the author of Language, Sex and Social Structure: Analysing Discourses of Sexuality (also with Palgrave). I’ve also published articles and chapters that explore social structure using a linguistic politeness approach. In teaching my aim is to empower students to think critically about the relationships between social structure and language use.
My podcast, Structured Visions (structuredvisions.wordpress.com), is a good place to hear me informally share my ideas about language and social structure.
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)
Language, Gender and Sexuality
Postmodern Social Theory
Queer Theory
Politeness
Teaching
College of Social Sciences and Arts
The Myriad Project (addressing issues of inclusion and diversity in the university context through discussions with students)
English
BA English, BA English Language, MA by Research, PhD
Describing Language, Decolonising English, How to be a Linguist, Talk and Interaction, Identity and Power, Revealing Gender
Research
Publications
Journal articles
Hubbard, L., Kelly, S., Rose‐Ford, H., Clark, J., & Stephens, M. (2024). Lessons learnt from facilitating care home placements for counselling and psychotherapy students during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 24 (1), 209-218. http://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12631
Clark, J. (2020). The words of your language. After Happy Hour Review, (13), 55-62. https://issuu.com/afterhappyhourreview/docs/issue_13
Clark, J. (2013). “Maybe she just hasn’t matured yet” : politeness, gate-keeping and the maintenance of status quo in a communityof practice. Journal of Politeness Research, 9 (2), 211-237. http://doi.org/10.1515/pr-2013-0010
Book chapters
Clark, J. (2021). Go. In White, B.B. (Ed.) Running Wild Anthology of Stories Volume 5. (pp. 515-528). Running Wild: https://runningwildpress.com/RunningWildCatalog/product/running-wild-anthology-of-stories-volume-5/
Clark, J. (2021). ‘Gay, aren’t they?' An ethnographic approach to compulsory heterosexuality. In Angouri, J., & Baxter, J. (Eds.) The Routledge Handbook of Language, Gender, and Sexuality. (pp. 121-135). Abingdon: Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315514857-10
Clark, J. (2011). Relational work in a sporting community of practice. In Davies, B.L., Haugh, M., & Merrison, A.J. (Eds.) Situated politeness. Continuum
Clark, J. (2011). No, like proper north” : re-drawing boundaries in an emergent community of practice’. In Discursive Approaches to Politeness. (pp. 109-132). Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton
Books
Clark, J. (2016). Selves, bodies and the grammar of social worlds : reimagining social change. London: Palgrave. https://www.palgrave.com/gb/book/9781137598424
Clark, J. (2012). Language, sex and social structure : analysing discourses of sexuality. Palgrave Macmillan. http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=415749
Theses / Dissertations
Coady, A. (2018). The Non-sexist Language Debate in French and English. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Clark, J. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00133
Postgraduate supervision
I have been on the supervisory team for the following PhD theses: The non-sexist language debate in French and English, Encounters between theory and practice: Semiotic and pragmatic principles in advertising, Poetic effects and visuospatial form: a relevance-theoretic perspective.