Power struggle in a female group discussion: The case of a Ghanaian University

Abstract

In almost all group discussions among learners, language serves as a medium through social interaction is promoted and learning is maximised. However, when restraint is compromised by participants in a discussion, an atmosphere is created for power struggles among them. Thus, the present paper takes a particularist view at the phenomenal use of interruptions in the group discussion of four female students in a Ghanaian university, and how the interruptions express the members’ quest for power, dominance and authority. The data constitutes a thirty minute live recording of the discussion, and was analysed within the framework of Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory and Fairclough’s (1995; 2001) concept of power. Key findings show that in a small group discussion, it is the more powerful students that enact power in order to (a) ensure that untenable contributions are minimised, (b) supply reliable information, and (c) keep the discussion on track. These findings bear implications for critical discourse studies and pedagogy