Writing through Viability

Autor(en)

Sabine Elisabeth Dengscherz

Abstrakt

The chapter addresses professional writing exper-
tise in the context of social power relations. It introduces and
discusses the concept writing through viability which refers to
a developmental stage of professional writing in which writers
have learnt to build on their expertise as well on their position
in the (institutional) field. Based on reflection and expertise
the writers are able to take responsibility for their texts and
live the choices they have—against the background of various
limitations. The concept writing through viability is inspired by
feminist philosophy, especially Judith Butler who coined the
term “viability,” and by a study on writing development, legit-
imation, and agency by M Knappik. The chapter introduces
the concept, reveals its background and the discursive dialog
that had inspired it, and discusses on several aspects that build
the base for it. In doing so, it refers to interrelations between
viability, agency, and the development of professional writing
expertise; requirements of professional writing; and the field
of tension between “submitting” to contexts and developing
agency. Thus, writing through viability addresses the complex
interrelations between social limitations, agency as “having a
choice,” taking responsibility for text production as a prereq-
uisite for professional writing, and the reflection of all those
aspects.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Germanistik, Institut für Translationswissenschaft

Seiten

127–155

Anzahl der Seiten

28

Publikationsdatum

07-2025

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

602059 Schreibwissenschaft, 602051 Translationswissenschaft

Schlagwörter

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/b8c9accb-2725-4e4f-9db5-944e3acd5b0e