THE CONCEPT OF DISCOURSE: CONTENT AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

The concept of discourse occupies a pivotal position in contemporary humanities and social sciences, transcending its conventional linguistic boundaries to encompass systems of statements, practices, and power relations that actively constitute knowledge, subjects, and social realities. This article provides a comprehensive examination of the content of discourse—its definitional contours, productive capacities, and intersections with power/knowledge regimes—while tracing its historical development from mid-20th-century linguistic formalizations to poststructuralist philosophical elaborations and subsequent critical applications. Drawing on a systematic literature review and genealogical analysis of primary theoretical texts, the study delineates key transformations: from Zellig Harris's distributional approach to connected speech, through Michel Foucault's archaeological and genealogical frameworks, to the emergence of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and multimodal extensions. Findings underscore discourse's role not as a neutral medium but as a historically contingent mechanism that produces "truth effects," regulates what can be said and known, and normalizes institutional practices. The discussion addresses theoretical tensions, methodological challenges, and the concept's enduring relevance in analyzing contemporary phenomena such as digital media, identity politics, and global inequalities. This inquiry contributes to scholarly discourse by synthesizing historical ruptures and continuities, advocating for context-sensitive, interdisciplinary applications that remain vigilant to power dynamics. Ultimately, understanding discourse demands recognition of its materiality, dispersion, and transformative potential in shaping human experience.