Reconstructing Eastern paradigms of discourse studies

Current scholarship on language and communication has largely been culturally monological rather than dialogical and diversified. In this paper, I respond to this sorry state by arguing for the reconstruction of Eastern paradigms in favour of multiculturalism in discourse research. To that end, I first critique the ethnocentrism of Discourse Analysis, then point to the cultural realities of the Eastern discourses, i.e. the discourses of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and finally demonstrate the unique cultural legacies and intellectual accomplishments of the Eastern world useful for the study of their discourses. In conclusion, I outline the basic principles of the new paradigms and the corresponding action strategies for their reconstruction.