Science and language, knowledge and power

as language, becomes laden with ‘norms’ and values of a discipline. Language becomes the signifier of what counts in a discipline – for example, the use of first person versus passive objectivity. In other words, the language we use is not arbitrary. It is determined by the disciplinary context in which we work and the value system that shapes that context. When we start to interrogate these discursive choices we can begin to appreciate that no scientific knowledge is neutral and that language plays a role in embedding power within knowledge practices.