✐ ✐ ✐ ✐ ✐ ✐ ✐ ✐ Asymmetrical power in discourse: The case of ‘experts’ and ‘laypeople’ on the radio phone-in programme Antena Aberta Filipa Perdigão Ribeiro Universidade do Algarve, Portugal E-mail: fperdig@ualg.pt W HILST the public debate over the ‘idea of Portuguese identity’ within the European context has taken place during this last decade in the media, 1 I have not encountered (linguistic) studies on discourses of national identity construction and representation. Another omission is in-depth analyses of the media’s contribution to the reshaping of discourse(s) hence social practice(s) in relation to national identity. I propose to bring together these two facets by analysing: “The discursive construction of Portuguese national identity on a radio phone-in programme discourse broadcast in June 2006”, paying special attention to historical and socio-political contextual factors. As such, using a qualitative in-depth methodology (combining discourse analysis and conversation analysis), this paper explores power relations inter- and intra- social groups when framing discourses on national identity and the attempts to imagine and construct national identity within the discourses produced by ‘experts’ and ‘laypeople’ on a radio phone-in programme apropos the football World Cup 2006. Introduction Portugal has been subjected to various historical and social processes during recent decades. Joining the European Union in 1986, the increasing glob- alization of the economy, together with multiple influxes of labour migrants from different national backgrounds, contributed to the urgency of reflecting 1 The list of events that brought about public debate is quite extensive: the Lisbon World Ex- hibition (1998); Oporto, Culture Capital of Europe (2001).the thirtieth anniversary commemo- rations of the 25 April democratic revolution (April 2004); EURO 2004; the Prime Minister of Portugal, Durão Barroso, being chosen to head the EU commission (June 2004). Estudos em Comunicação nº7 - Volume 1, 29-54 Maio de 2010