'Words of wisdom': text, voice and justice in I, Daniel Blake

Jones, Susan

Abstract

The film, I, Daniel Blake, has received critical acclaim for its portrayal of the experiences of those attempting to navigate the bureaucracy of the British welfare state system. In this article, I use the depiction of literacy in the film as a lens through which I examine both the role of literacy in compounding the challenge for those already made vulnerable by their circumstances, as well as the creative, collaborative and resourceful ways in which individuals use literacy practices to navigate everyday lives. The release of I, Daniel Blake comes at a time when the threat to social justice posed by austerity politics is becoming an acute reality for many in Britain, and across the globe. I argue for the continued importance, therefore, of the critical examination of the relationship between literacy, inequalities and justice.

Citation

Jones, S. (in press). 'Words of wisdom': text, voice and justice in I, Daniel Blake. Changing English, 24(4), https://doi.org/10.1080/1358684X.2017.1298990

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 20, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Dec 18, 2017
• Deposit Date: Feb 21, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 19, 2019
• Journal: Changing English
• Print ISSN: 1358-684X
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-3585
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1358684X.2017.1298990
• Keywords: Literacy; Social justice; Film
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/900393
• Publisher URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1358684X.2017.1298990
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Changing English on 18 December 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/1358684X.2017.1298990
• Contract Date: Feb 21, 2017