Veronika Koller is interested in socio-cognitive approaches within critical discourse studies, specifically the role of metaphor in constructing identites and communicating ideologies. Her areas of expertise are politicial discourse, health communication, corporate discourse, and language and sexuality. Veronika’s research includes work on metaphor and gender in business media discourse, images of community in lesbian discourses, the discourse of corporate branding, metaphor in end-of-life care as well as, most recently, the discourse of cancer charities and the language used around Brexit.

I currently teach on the following courses:

Discourse Analysis (LING 204)

Corporate Communication (LING 214)

Introduction to Discourse Studies (LING 442)

Discourse Analysis (LING 519d, FASS517[d]))

I received my PhD in English Linguistics from the University of Vienna in 2003 (thesis on metaphors in business magazines). Before joining Lancaster University in 2004, I worked at the Department of English Business Communication at Vienna University of Economics and Business and also as assistant marketing manager at a medium-sized company in Vienna. I do occasional language consulting work for private, public and third sector clients.

My main research is on political discourse, business discourse, health communication, and language and sexuality. A special research interest of mine is metaphor theory and analysis, as well as socio-cognitive approaches to critical discourse studies. My current projects are on a) the discourse of cancer charities, and b) discourses around 'Brexit'.  

I am happy to accept PhD students who share any of the above interests.