Potter and Wetherell are renowned social psychologists who have made significant contributions to the

field of discourse analysis. Some of their major contributions include:

1. Positioned subjectivity: Potter and Wetherell introduced the concept of "positioned subjectivity" in
their book "Discourse and Social Psychology" (1987). They argued that individuals construct their
identities and subjectivities through language and discourse, which are shaped by social, cultural, and
historical contexts. This concept emphasizes that one's social positioning influences the way they
perceive and interpret the world.

2. Discursive psychology: Potter and Wetherell are key figures in the development of discursive
psychology, which focuses on how language is used to create and maintain social realities. They
emphasize that discourse is not simply a reflection of reality but actively constructs reality through the
ways in which people talk about and make sense of their experiences.

3. Membership categorization analysis (MCA): Potter and Wetherell have developed the methodological
framework of MCA, which is a technique used to examine how social categories are invoked and used in
discourse. MCA analyzes how individuals categorize themselves and others through language, and how
these categorizations shape social interaction and identity construction.

4. Analyzing discursive psychology in social issues: Potter and Wetherell have applied their insights from
discursive psychology to examine various social issues such as gender, racism, and mental health. They
have contributed to understanding how language and discourse contribute to the construction of these
social issues and how they can be addressed through discursive practices.

5. Critical discursive psychology: Potter and Wetherell have also contributed to the development of
critical discursive psychology, which aims to challenge power relations and ideologies embedded in
language and discourse. They argue that discourse is not neutral but can be used to perpetuate
inequalities and oppressive structures. Their work has helped in uncovering hidden power dynamics and
promoting social justice through critical analysis of discourse.

Overall, Potter and Wetherell have had a profound influence on discourse analysis by emphasizing the
role of language and discourse in shaping social realities, introducing new methodologies, and applying
their insights to various social issues. Their work has contributed to a more nuanced understanding of
the ways in which language and discourse interact with social and psychological processes.
Jonathan Potter was born in Ashford, Kent, and spent most of his childhood in the village
of Laughton, East Sussex; his father was a school teacher and his mother was a batik artist. He
went to School in Lewes and then on to a degree in Psychology at the University of Liverpool in
1974 where he was exposed to the radical politics of the city, became (briefly) interested in
alternative therapies, and responded to the traditional British empirical psychology that was the
mainstay of the Liverpool psychology degree at the time.

Jonathan Potter is a former Dean of the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers
University and one of the originators of discursive psychology.
Wetherell worked for 23 years at the Open University, UK from which she retired as Emeritus
Professor in 2011. She then took up a part-time post of Professor in Psychology at the University of
Auckland, New Zealand.
In 1984 he published Social Texts and Context: Literature and Social Psychology with Margaret
Wetherell. This collaboration was developed in parallel to Potter and Wetherell's PhD work.
Potter is co-author, with Margaret Wetherell of the influential book Discourse and Social Psychology,
which is one of the foundational texts that developed a discourse analytic approach to social
psychology, which is now refined into discursive psychology. It offered new ways of conceptualizing
fundamental social psychological notions such as attitudes, categories, social representations and
rules.