Pluralism, Difference, Conflict

Deetz, Chapter 5

Pluralism: The presence of difference

Pluralism: The presence of difference

• Interaction in homogeneous (singular) communities– consent to fixed identities, social order, knowledge, and policies

Pluralism: The presence of difference

• Interaction in homogeneous (singular) communities– consent to fixed identities, social order, knowledge, and policies

• Interaction in heterogeneous (pluralist) communities– entails points of clash and negotiation about these things

Pluralism: The presence of difference

The presence of difference can result in “insecurity”

Pluralism: The presence of difference

Individuals can respond to this insecurity by increasing forms of control (cultural management, surveillance, violence)

Pluralism: The presence of difference

Individuals can respond to this insecurity by increasing forms of control (cultural management, surveillance, violence)

OrBy increasing forms of participation (negotiation, challenging assumptions, making it explicit, seeking win/win solutions)

Kinds of Claims

Participation in pluralistic communities requires negotiation of

our implicit assumptions

The politics of sincerity

• Claims about emotion and interior experience:

The politics of sincerity

• Claims about emotion and interior experience:Is what “I think, I feel” open to negotiation?

The politics of sincerity

• Claims about emotion and interior experience:Is what “I think, I feel” open to negotiation?

Which feelings are Matilda’s?

The politics of recognition

• Claims about our relationship to specific others

The politics of recognition

• Claims about our relationship to specific others

• Is who “I am” and who “you are” and who “we are for each other” open to negotiation?

The politics of recognition

• Claims about our relationship to specific others

• Is who “I am” and who “you are” and who “we are for each other” open to negotiation?

• Do we talk from our about our identities?

The politics of recognition

• Claims about our relationship to specific others

• Is who “I am” and who “you are” and who “we are for each other” open to negotiation?

• Do we talk from our about our identities? And do we exclude/include people on the basis of their “affiliations?”

The politics of order

The politics of order

• Claims about rules and norms.

The politics of order

• Claims about rules and norms.

Is what “I must do” or “We ought to do” negotiable?

The politics of order

• Claims about rules and norms.

Is what “I must do” or “We ought to do” negotiable?

How long do you wait at a stop light at 3am?

The politics of order

• Claims about rules and norms.

Is what “I must do” or “We ought to do” negotiable?

How long do you wait at a stop light at 3am?

“Communicating within the rules is very different from communicating about the rules”

The politics of knowledge

The politics of knowledge

• Claims about what counts as evidence, expertise, and how we come to know.

The politics of knowledge

• Claims about what counts as evidence, data, expertise, and how we come to know.

Is what “we know” and “how we know” negotiable?

The politics of knowledge

• Claims about what counts as evidence, data, expertise, and how we come to know.

Is what “we know” and “how we know” negotiable?

Do doctors give people cancer?

The politics of knowledge

• Claims about what counts as evidence, data, expertise, and how we come to know.

Is what “we know” and “how we know” negotiable?

Do doctors give people cancer?

The Politics of progress

The Politics of progress

• Claims about values, hopes, and relationships to the future

The Politics of progress

• Claims about values, hopes, and relationships to the future

Is what “I hope” and “We wish” negotiable?

The Politics of progress

• Claims about values, hopes, and relationships to the future

Is what “I hope” and “We wish” negotiable?

Is money (or grades) an end or a measure?

The Politics of progress

• Claims about values, hopes, and relationships to the future

Is what “I hope” and “We wish” negotiable?

Is money (or grades) an end or a measure?

The Politics of progress

• Claims about values, hopes, and relationships to the future

Is what “I hope” and “We wish” negotiable?

Is money (or grades) an end or a measure?

How can we build mutually beneficial visions of the future?