Dialogue

A FEMINIST TAOIST VOICE PART 2: MY DIALOGUE WITH ELISA FON, ACUPUNCTURIST, TAOIST, FEMINIST AND FRIEND by Sara Frykenberg

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project

Taoism is a philosophy that, for me, has been around so long because it is meant to move and change with society…more Taoism is a philosophy that, for me, has been around so long because it is meant to move and change with society…

Acupuncturist, healer and friend, Elisa Fon and I began a discussion of Taoism and feminism in Part 1 of this interview.  Elisa defined her vision of feminism and Taoism, explained Taoism’s relational and yet, individual emphasis on what is particular in each of our experiences and considered the basic relationship of yang and yin.  Part 2 picks up where she and I left off, returning to the discussion of yin, yang and supposed dualisms.

Sara: I was wondering if you could talk a little about the complementarity of yin and yang?

Misyurov D.A. Dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas // Credo New. 2012. №2

by Dmitry Misyurov

The article suggests dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas: formula with... more The article suggests dialectical formulas based on the binary notation as the development formulas: formula with dominant and the non-dominant elements; universal formula; formula with symbolic weight of elements; tautological formula. For example, it suggests an opportunity to use the dialectical formulas for modeling and artificial intelligence creation, etc.

PROMOTION OF PEACE AS THE RESULT OF CULTURAL AND CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION IN THE AGE OF SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS.

by Oskar Vallazza

Final paper for the Graduate Certificate in the MA in Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation at the Universität Innsbruck

Survival on Earth has become a general concern for today's generation, and many people are struggling to reach a new... more Survival on Earth has become a general concern for today's generation, and many people are struggling to reach a new understanding of the world. It seems to me that the world has reached a critical point, which does not allow for easy solutions. If we are to survive in peace we have to change those habits and conceptions, which brought us to the present critical stage, and proceed on a path of paradigmatic transformation.

Accordingly, peace is not a static phenomenon but rather a continuous process of developing structures and relationships to meet our needs and strengthen our perception of well-being. To discover peace, we need to move away from a conflict-encouraging system and pursue a culture of both cultural and conflict transformation. 

The emergence and spread of an increasing number of violent, very often intractable conflicts clearly signalize that we have reached an evolutionary turning point that requires our full attention. In an unprecedented show of interdisciplinary solidarity, many scientists, scholars, social activists, aboriginal leaders and others have embarked on a search for a different level of global participation that would bring about a higher degree of consciousness.

In this paper peace will be presented as the result of a process of cultural transformation that would promote a qualitatively more balanced way of life. 

The paper will be structured around the following themes:

• A brief historical overview of the idea of peace according to the energetic/organic tradition;
• An introduction to the mechanistic world view and its effects on Western attitudes and mind;
• Applicable concepts: Noosphere, Omega Point, Bioregionalism, Spaceship Earth, the Gaia Hypothesis, Dialogue, Macroshift.
• A brief overview of General System Theory, Integral Philosophy, Self-organizing Systems.
• David Bohm’s Dialogue and Ervin Laszlo’s Macroshift
I will review issues of cultural and environmental sustainability; cultural and biological diversity; and political responsibility presented within a peaceful, dialogue-based integrated model.

Prejudice in verbal interaction

by Susan Condor

Existing social psychological perspectives tend to overlook the fact that public expressions of racial, ethnic or... more Existing social psychological perspectives tend to overlook the fact that public expressions of racial, ethnic or national prejudice normally constitute collaborative accomplishments, the product of joint action between a number of individuals. Awareness of the inherently dialogical character of prejudiced talk affords appreciation of the ways in which expressions of ethnic or racial antipathy need not simply be used to display a speaker’s private attitudes or to defend a group position, but may also be oriented to the local context of talk in action. Recognizably prejudiced talk may be used to claim the floor, to bully, to amuse, to shock, to display intimacy and solidarity, to mark a variety of personal and social identities or to key the informal, backstage, character of a social encounter. The fact that prejudiced talk can be intricately woven through the delicate choreography of everyday sociability may greatly complicate any attempts to challenge it.

Interculturalism in Practice: Québec's New Ethics and Religious Culture Curriculum and the Bouchard-Taylor Report on Reasonable Accommodation

by David Waddington

Pre-print version of book chapter. Co-authored with Bruce Maxwell, Kevin McDonough, Marina Schwimmer, and Andrée-Anne Cormier.

Discursive grouping in a virtual forum: Dialogue, difference, and the “Intercultural”

by Saskia Witteborn

Discursive grouping in a virtual forum: Dialogue, difference, and the “Intercultural”

by Saskia Witteborn

Book Review: M.Kristiansen, J.Bloch-Poulsen (2005), Midwifery and Dialogue in Organizations – Emergent Mutual Involvement in Action Research

by Olav Eikeland

Rainer Hampp Verlag, München & Mering 2005, 297 pp., € 29.80
ISBN 3879889937

(Dis)quieting the Canon: A Book Review Article of New Work by Fishelov and Papadema, Damrosch, and D'haen

by Marta Pinto

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 14.1 (2012)

Dialogue, activism and democratic social change

by Shiv Ganesh

Coauthored by Shiv Ganesh and Heather Zoller (joint first authors), published in 'Communication Theory,' 2012.

This article provides a systematic description of various positions on dialogue and their implications for... more This article provides a systematic description of various positions on dialogue and their implications for understanding activism and social change. It describes three orientations toward dialogue—collaboration, co-optation, and agonism—which are differentiated by
assumptions regarding the pervasiveness of dialogue, the role of difference, and conceptions of power. We argue for a multivocal, agonistic perspective on dialogue that centers issues of power and conflict in activism. Such a perspective illuminates a broad range of activist tactics for social change instead of privileging consensus-oriented methods. These approaches are illustrated with two ethnographic case studies that highlight the importance of lay theories of activism and dialogue.

La sintassi dell'aldilà. Studio sulla sintassi periodale dei discorsi diretti delle anime della Commedia di Dante.

by Marta D'Amico

(in press)

Who Are You Looking At? Public Relations and the Role of the Other

by Anne Lane

Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal 7:pp. 277-291.

This paper introduces to public relations the concept of the Other from cultural studies. Two types of Otherness... more This paper introduces to public relations the concept of the Other from cultural studies. Two types of Otherness (positive and
negative) are applied to public relations practices, which are summarised as demonstrating oppositional and advocational
approaches. Traditional views of public relations related to these concepts show publics are often situated as an oppositional
Other from an organisation’s perspective. Alternative approaches to Otherness in public relations are suggested, and are
used to interrogate current theory and practice. Public relations academics and practitioners asking “Who are you looking
at?” might find the response more challenging when viewed through the lens of Otherness.

Empowering publics

by Anne Lane

In Proceedings Australia and New Zealand Communication Association (ANZCA) annual conference, Adelaide, Australia.

In the field of public relations, one of the most challenging and controversial concepts of the 20th century – that of... more In the field of public relations, one of the most challenging and controversial concepts of the 20th century – that of two-way symmetric public relations – remains a hot topic. Over the last 20 years, there has been considerable debate about the feasibility of this type of public relations. The main focus of criticism has been on the model’s reliance on the notion that organisations might respond positively to feedback from their publics, incorporating external wants and needs into their operations even though these may result in change to their original plans. Critics view such an outcome as highly unlikely and unrealistic, especially in the context of public relations as practised in the commercial sector.
As a contribution to the on-going debate around two way symmetric public relations, this paper reflects on an Australian case study from the property development industry to illustrate some of the practical benefits of conducting this type of communication in the commercial sector. It suggests that a key to making this form of public relations work successfully is to approach communication with management as if they were a target public in their own right. Using Marston’s (1979) RACE (Research, Action, Communication, and Evaluation) framework as a guide, the paper then suggests ideas that might be most often used in reaching, persuading and influencing publics generally to see how these could be made relevant to the conduct of ‘balanced’ communication with management. How can 21st century organisational public relations practitioners present stakeholder arguments in a positive way; and ultimately perhaps even get management to incorporate elements of these arguments in organisational attitudes and behaviour? And what are the implications of these ideas for the future development of public relations theory?

Is dialogue the key to Pandora's box?

by Anne Lane

In Proceedings
International Communication Association (ICA) annual conference, New
York, U.S.A..

The title and theme of this conference invite us to question the role and place of dialogue within a broad range of... more The title and theme of this conference invite us to question the role and place of dialogue within a broad range of communication disciplines. For those of us working in the area of public relations, this is an interrogation that has been going on for at least the last 20 years. It has been that long since the concept of dialogue first emerged as a significant influence in public relations theory and practice. The 20th anniversary of the publication of Grunig and Hunt’s massively influential Managing Public Relations (1984) marks an appropriate time for the profession of public relations to indulge in a reflective moment, to
deconstruct and examine the concept of dialogue in the 21st century. In order to ‘question the dialogue’ in public relations, we must address certain issues. Firstly, just what is dialogue? Is a responsive component necessary, or is it sufficient that both partners speak and listen in turn? Secondly we must ask
ourselves, should we be engaging in dialogue? And thirdly, leading on from this, can we actually make the transition from theoretical abstract to lived reality?

Back to school for a reality (PR) check?.

by Anne Lane

Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Annual Conference, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia.

It is 20 years since Grunig and Hunt first claimed normative status for what they labelled the two-way symmetric model... more It is 20 years since Grunig and Hunt first claimed normative status for what they labelled the two-way symmetric model of public relations. Although this model is not without its critics and detractors, in the absence of any real alternatives it nonetheless remains a significant influence in the field. One of the greatest challenges facing public relations practitioners today is how to reconcile the idea of two-way symmetric communication – which has long been suggested as the Holy Grail of public relations – with the reality of lived public relations practice. The situation of public relations practitioners in schools on Queensland’s Gold Coast in the twenty-first century provides an interesting microcosmic case study of these challenges, and might give some insights into wider applications within the broader profession. Directions for future research are flagged: in particular, the High Performance Schools Initiative is suggested as providing a site where the possible benefits of dialogue between organisations and publics, as well as the potential pitfalls in its implementation, can be explored.

Modelling the process of dialogic communication in public relations: a rolebased approach.

by Anne Lane

In: Media, Democracy & Change : Australia and New Zealand Communication
Association (ANZCA) 2010, 7-9 July 2010, Canberra.

This paper takes Kent and Taylor’s (2002) call to develop a dialogic theory of public relations and suggests that a... more This paper takes Kent and Taylor’s (2002) call to develop a dialogic theory of public relations and suggests that a necessary first step is the modelling of the process of dialogic communication in public relations. In order to achieve this, extant
literature from a range of fields is reviewed, seeking to develop a definition of dialogic communication that is meaningful to the practice of contemporary public relations. A simple transmission model of communication is used as a starting point. This is synthesised with concepts relating specifically to dialogue, taken here in its broadest sense rather than defined as any one particular outcome. The definition that emerges from this review leads to the conclusion that dialogic communication in public relations involves the interaction of three roles  – those of sender, receiver, and responder. These three roles are shown to be adopted at different times by both participants involved in dialogic communication. It is further suggested that variations
occur in how these roles are conducted: the sender and receiver roles can be approached in a passive or an active way, while the responder role can be classified as being either resistant or responsive to the information received in dialogic communication. The final modelling of the definition derived provides a framework which can be tested in the field to determine whether variations in the conduct of the roles in dialogic communication actually exist, and if so, whether they can be linked to the different types of outcome from dialogic communication identified previously in the literature.

CHALK(INTER)FACE: the role of public relations in the dialogue between schools and parents in south east Queensland

by Anne Lane

Australia and New Zealand Communication Association
(ANZCA) 2004, University of Sydney.

This paper focuses on the under-researched area of direct
communication between schools and their publics in... more This paper focuses on the under-researched area of direct
communication between schools and their publics in Australia. The results of a pilot survey of schools in south east Queensland are used to explore the notion that public relations is indeed being carried out in this context. Next, the motivations behind this practice are explored, initially using the four model
theory of J. Grunig and Hunt. This paradigm is found to have some relevance in this context, but the degree of ‘misfit’ is significant. As a result, the survey findings are re-visited and a variation on the original four models is suggested that more adequately addresses the results.
Two of the revised models (the development of relationships and the creation of partnerships) particularly highlight the potential of a strategic approach to public relations to make a difference in the administration of schools.

Building dialogic relationships through the World Wide Web

by Michael L. Kent

Power and Conflict in Adaptive Management: Analyzing the Discourse of Riparian Management on Public Lands

by Jennifer Arnold

Adaptive collaborative management emphasizes stakeholder engagement as a crucial component of resilient... more Adaptive collaborative management emphasizes stakeholder engagement as a crucial component of resilient social-ecological systems. Collaboration among diverse stakeholders is expected to enhance learning, build social legitimacy for decision making, and establish relationships that support learning and adaptation in the long term. However, simply bringing together diverse stakeholders does not guarantee productive engagement. Using critical discourse analysis, we examined how diverse stakeholders negotiated knowledge and power in a workshop designed to inform adaptive management of riparian livestock grazing on a National Forest in the southwestern USA. Publicly recognized as a successful component of a larger collaborative effort, we found that the workshop effectively brought together diverse participants, yet still restricted dialogue in important ways. Notably, workshop facilitators took on the additional roles of riparian experts and instructors. As they guided workshop participants toward a consensus view of riparian conditions and management recommendations, they used their status as riparian experts to emphasize commonalities with stakeholders supportive of riparian grazing and accentuate differences with stakeholders skeptical of riparian grazing, including some Forest Service staff with power to influence management decisions. Ultimately, the management plan published one year later did not fully adopt the consensus view from the workshop, but rather included and acknowledged a broader diversity of stakeholder perspectives. Our findings suggest that leaders and facilitators of adaptive collaborative management can more effectively manage for productive stakeholder engagement and, thus, socialecological
resilience if they are more tentative in their convictions, more critical of the role of expert knowledge, and more
attentive to the knowledge, interests, and power of diverse stakeholders.

The study of semantic alternations in a dialogic Functional Discourse Grammar.

by Lachlan Mackenzie

Published in Pilar Guerrero Medina (ed.), Morphosyntactic Alternations in English: Functional and Cognitive Perspectives. London: Equinox. 38-61.

Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG; Hengeveld and Mackenzie 2008) aims to provide a cognitively adequate and... more Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG; Hengeveld and Mackenzie 2008) aims to provide a cognitively adequate and multi-layered account of the organization of human languages. Its architecture is inspired by well-established psycholinguistic models of language production which approach cognitive processing as the computational manipulation of multiple symbolic representations within the individual. However, this emphasis on the individual is at odds with the theory’s commitment to the interactive nature of language. The article argues that recent work on dialogue (Pickering and Garrod 2004) provides a better psycholinguistic model for FDG and presents a dialogic FDG which reflects how interlocutors continually perform mutual, automatic and unconscious alignment of each other’s linguistic and situational representations. Alignment greatly reduces the complexity of language production and comprehension and in this sense the revised model enhances the cognitive adequacy of FDG. The article considers the relevance of structural priming in dialogue for the notion of morphological alternation, claiming that this notion is applicable only where there is no generalizable semantic or pragmatic relation between the alternants. Examination of an extract from a dialogue corpus reveals, however, that for the grammarian, the distinction between priming effects and functional factors is hard to make. The effects of priming may only be truly visible in dysfunctional sequences (false starts, anacolutha and dysfluencies).