Ann M. Johns article, Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice, talks about how certain people belong to a community or social group just by their beliefs or the shared knowledge they have with others. She talks about how there are some groups we do not choose to be in rather we are brought into them because of where our parents raised us. For example a child did not pick their religion at the age of three, but rather their parents took them to the church they attend and thus the child feels more a part of that church then any other. There are also communities you pick to join, because of your interest. You also become a part of a community any time you leave your hometown. Ann describes how each community or group is different in their own way. Even the people in the group might not share the same religion or political views, but the shared interest in a particular thing joins them into a community together. She also describes a discourse community as the things that you read or participate in that keep you connected to that certain community. Once you go to college you become part of that community and group. I thought this article was very well written and an interesting read.
List of Discourse Communities I am apart of:
- Cheerleading
- Student at Ole Miss
- Phi Mu sorority
- Community of my town Clarksdale
- Community of my dorm Hefley