French Discourse Analysis derives from Michel Pecheux's attempts to develop a linguistic method for promoting Althusser's theory of ideology. Between the 1960s and the present this body of work has moved closer to the post-structuralism of Michel Foucault. In this book, Glyn Williams draws together current debates in linguistics and social theory, and provides the first study in English of the principles and theories of French Discourse Analysis. Williams outlines how the enuncitative linguistics of Benveniste and Culioli serves as the basis for a language-based method that correspopnds to the theoretical force of post-structuralism. He guides the reader through the general history of structuralism and poststructuralism before covering the different stages in the development of French Discourse Analysis between 1965 and the present. Key contributors to the field are referred to throughout. The nature and detail of the method is outlined and the relevance of the approach for social and linguistic theory is debated.