Ramsey Sarah M
Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK.
School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Nurs Philos. 2025 Oct;26(4):e70034. doi: 10.1111/nup.70034.
Chantal Mouffe and Ernesto Laclau made significant developments in discourse theory, based on the premise that all practices and objects are discursive, deriving meaning through existence in a wider context. This paper introduces the work of Laclau and Mouffe, explicating the main tenets of discourse theory through an example chosen from the nursing discourse, 'professionalism', and exploring how this serves as an empty signifier. The construction of a discourse is explored, from the building blocks of individual signs and moments to the totality established when each sign is fixed in relation to other signs and all other possible meanings excluded. The empty signifier represents a lack or absence, stabilising the discourse in a move towards hegemony. The question is posed as to whether, as an empty signifier, professionalism has resulted in a successful hegemonic formulation. Nursing has always struggled to be 'fully constituted' with an antagonistic frontier delineating 'women's work' of caring and nurturance from the cost-effectiveness of evidence-based practice. However, the lack of a coherent identity for nursing is highlighted as the empty signifier defines us merely as 'not unprofessional'. Identification of the empty signifier 'professionalism' and exploration of the ensuing hegemonic formation of 'professional' nursing identity demonstrates that the work of Laclau and Mouffe has significant relevance to nursing. Exploration of further areas of the nursing discourse through the lens of discourse theory is encouraged.
尚塔尔·穆芙和欧内斯托·拉克劳在话语理论方面取得了重大进展，其前提是所有实践和对象都是话语性的，通过在更广泛的语境中的存在来获得意义。本文介绍了拉克劳和穆芙的著作，通过从护理话语中选取的一个例子“专业精神”来阐释话语理论的主要原则，并探讨它如何作为一个空能指发挥作用。从单个符号和时刻的基本要素到当每个符号相对于其他符号固定且所有其他可能的意义被排除时所建立的整体，对话语的构建进行了探讨。空能指代表着一种缺失，在迈向霸权的过程中使话语得以稳定。提出的问题是，作为一个空能指，专业精神是否导致了一种成功的霸权表述。护理一直努力“完全形成”，存在一条对抗性边界，将关怀和养育的“女性工作”与循证实践的成本效益区分开来。然而，护理缺乏连贯的身份被凸显出来，因为空能指仅仅将我们定义为“并非不专业”。识别空能指“专业精神”并探索随之而来的“专业”护理身份的霸权形成表明，拉克劳和穆芙的著作与护理具有重大相关性。鼓励通过话语理论的视角进一步探索护理话语的其他领域。
