CDA Method Blog
TESTIMONIALS
Julie Andersen - CEO, Plastic Oceans International | Circular Economy | Participatory Film Distribution
I had the privilege of speaking with Michael Farrelly, a critical discourse analyst and host of the Language and Power Podcast. We talked about how power hides in plain sight - within the words we choose, the people we name, and the stories we allow to be told.
One concept that stayed with me: social actor representation. This is who gets named in public discourse, who gets erased, and how each is framed.
Take the term “civil society.” It sounds neutral, even inclusive. But as Michael noted, it often conceals power imbalances. When industry lobbyists are grouped under the same label as waste pickers or grassroots NGOs, we lose the ability to see who holds influence and who is being sidelined
Sioned Pearce - Lecturer, University of Cardiff
As a university lecturer, I had been running a two-hour workshop on Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) for MSc Social Policy students for several years. While it was functional, I felt it lacked depth and needed a refresh. That’s when I reached out to Michael. His expertise and guidance were truly invaluable. Michael was prompt, efficient, and incredibly generous with his time—going well beyond what I expected during our consultation. Thanks to his input, the revised workshop received excellent feedback from students, many of whom will go on to apply CDA techniques in government roles. Michael provided support on a range of areas, including: Recommending updated and relevant literature on CDA; offering insightful background on key international scholars and the relationships between their work; giving clear advice on applying CDA to real-world texts, such as political speeches; suggesting effective ways to test student understanding, both in theory and practice; helping to clarify distinctions between content analysis, narrative analysis, and discourse analysis—highlighting CDA’s broader contextual reach. Michael brings a rare combination of deep expertise and clear, effective communication. I would not hesitate to seek his guidance again, whether for undergraduate, postgraduate, or postdoctoral teaching and research. He is insightful, approachable, and an absolute asset to anyone working with Critical Discourse Analysis.