Using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis to Analyze Young Women's Constructions of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

This case study introduces the reader to Foucauldian discourse analysis as applied to a cross-cultural project around young women's constructions of the human papillomavirus vaccine. We introduce common qualitative research approaches in psychology. We discuss two main types of Discourse Analysis in psychology and why a Foucauldian discourse analysis was adopted here. In this case, we examine examples of our data according to Carla Willig's approach to Foucauldian discourse analysis using six stages: discursive constructions, discourses, action orientation, positionings, practice, and subjectivity. Finally, we consider the main limits and strengths with a Foucauldian discourse analysis.