Prof. J.M. Sanders (José)

José Sanders' research is focused on narratives. She studies their linguistic characteristics (structure and style) and their cognitive representation, as well as their communicative function in applications by organisations, such as in narrative journalism and in narrative health communication. Her research expertise lies in the domain of discourse analysis and discourse optimization. Her research examines the interplay between the form and the function of discourse in strategic communicative settings, varying from health communication and financial education to journalistic narratives. Discourse characteristics are essentially guiding language users’ understanding, engagement, attitude, and intention to act. Cognitive linguistic theories are helpful to analyze how language users represent viewpoints, frames and situation models in their discourse, using their own perspective as a starting point and trying to reach other language users.
Applying the optimal viewpoints and frames is a major challenge that organizations face when trying to reach a particular target group in a particular context. Discourse characteristics of fictional narrative are particularly helpful to engange readers. An example is a project that studies how personal narratives, instead of argumentative information, can be used to persuade target groups with low health literacy to obtain a healthier life style. Another project investigates whether choice-oriented health education materials on existential themes, such as child birth and palliative care, are sufficiently connected with the framing of personal narratives on these topics in mass media and new media. In addition, José studies journalistic narrative discourse as a means to create general meaning and personal impact, and help organizations reach their stakeholders. José teaches in the Master programme of Communication & information Sciences within the Faculty of Arts, and is coordinator in the Centre for Language Studies.

• Narrative Communication

• Narrative, Cognition & Communication