Discourse on Southeast’s bad reputation: Positioning of African Americans in Washington,D.C.

Abstract

This study examines the interview discourse of five African American speakers in Washington, D.C., particularly paying attention to their discussions on issues surrounding a marginalized section of the city, namely, Southeast. The study provides discourse-based evidence of Southeast’s marginalization, which is reflected in the widely circulating discourse on Southeast’s reputation. Drawing on Positioning Theory, the study shows how Southeast speakers and non-Southeast speakers exhibit different positioning in assessing the reputation. The study illuminates how different positioning characterizes some of the key aspects of a marginalized neighborhood, concomitantly reflecting how different groups in the city construct and evaluate their own identities and others.