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DISPUTES AS COMPLEX SOCIAL EVENTS: On the Uses of Positioning Theory

DISPUTES AS COMPLEX SOCIAL EVENTS: On the Uses of Positioning Theory Page 100 DISPUTES AS COMPLEX SOCIAL EVENTS On the Uses of Positioning Theory Rom Harré and Nikki Slocum How can social psychology contribute to the resolution of seemingly intractable conflicts? A new and promising approach to this conundrum has come from the most recent developments in that field — from what is termed “positioning theory.”1 If there were a way of bringing to light underlying patterns in the expression of conflicts, persisting patterns that serve to maintain the hostile stances of the antagonists, a change in such patterns might make the expression of conflict more difficult. In a way, the conflict might thereby be resolved. If a conflict can no longer readily find expression, then in a sense, it ceases to exist. In this presentation, we outline the basic principles of positioning theory and illustrate how they can be put to work to reveal some of the sustaining narrative forms that nourish conflict. There are no general forms. Every instance is unique. An assumption shared by all practitioners of the “new psychology” is that psychology is the systematic study of the creation and management of meanings. Positioning theory is the basis of one of the current research techniques http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Common Knowledge Duke University Press

DISPUTES AS COMPLEX SOCIAL EVENTS: On the Uses of Positioning Theory

Harre, Rom; Slocum, Nikki
Common Knowledge , Volume 9 (1) – Jan 1, 2003
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Publisher
Duke University Press
Copyright
Copyright 2003 by Duke University Press
ISSN
0961-754X
eISSN
1538-4578
DOI
10.1215/0961754X-9-1-100
Publisher site
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Abstract

Page 100 DISPUTES AS COMPLEX SOCIAL EVENTS On the Uses of Positioning Theory Rom Harré and Nikki Slocum How can social psychology contribute to the resolution of seemingly intractable conflicts? A new and promising approach to this conundrum has come from the most recent developments in that field — from what is termed “positioning theory.”1 If there were a way of bringing to light underlying patterns in the expression of conflicts, persisting patterns that serve to maintain the hostile stances of the antagonists, a change in such patterns might make the expression of conflict more difficult. In a way, the conflict might thereby be resolved. If a conflict can no longer readily find expression, then in a sense, it ceases to exist. In this presentation, we outline the basic principles of positioning theory and illustrate how they can be put to work to reveal some of the sustaining narrative forms that nourish conflict. There are no general forms. Every instance is unique. An assumption shared by all practitioners of the “new psychology” is that psychology is the systematic study of the creation and management of meanings. Positioning theory is the basis of one of the current research techniques

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Common Knowledge – Duke University Press

Published: Jan 1, 2003

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