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Discourse Studies, Vol. 10, No. 3, 341-359 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1461445608089915

Persuasive presuppositions in OECD and EU higher education policy documents

Taina Saarinen

UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ, FINLAND, taina.saarinen{at}campus.jyu.fi

The article analyses presuppositions in higher education policy documents of the OECD and the European Union from the point of view of their persuasiveness. Presuppositions set the assumed common ground, which in turn sets the frame of interpretation of texts. However, by presenting something as common ground, presuppositions also shape our views of the reality. Used in this way, presuppositions can be used to present contested views, which would be open to criticism if they were asserted explicitly. The analysis does not evaluate the actual success of persuasion, but rather how policy documents are construed in a persuasive way.

Key Words: EU • higher education policy • OECD • persuasion • presupposition • quality


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