CITATION AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION:
Cite as: Dervin, B.. Shields, P. & Song, M. (2005). More than misunderstanding, less than war: "Administrative"
and "critical" theories, field cohesion, and (im)possible dialogue. Paper presented at the International Communication Association annual meeting, New York City, May. [Available online] <http://communication.sbs.ohio-state.edu/sense-making/art/artabsdervinetal05phil.html>
© Brenda Dervin, Peter Shields, and Mei Song, 2005.

ABSTRACT:
Our purpose is four-fold, to: (a) review briefly the origins of the "critical" versus "administrative" debates and their aftermaths focusing on mass communication studies, the epicenter of these debates in the communication field; (b) reframe the debates, in consort with some other observers, as arising from the (im)possibility of interdisciplinary dialogue; (c) compare 14 theoretical discourses, seven each usually seen as aligned within the two "camps", in a way that has not been done before; and, (d) propose an approach to addressing the (im)possibility of communicating between theoretic discourses that does not focus inwardly at communication field distinctiveness and identity via theoretical coherence but rather outwardly at the field's public presence and utility via theoretical enrichment, understanding, and cohesion. This approach is premised on an epistemological openness that at the same time recognizes that inconsistencies and incompatibilities between theoretical discourses must be taken seriously and attended to accordingly. More specifically, we offer a “picturing” tool that can potentially facilitate dialogue across discourse boundaries. A major aim of our paper is to propose that interdisciplinary dialogue requires tools which are communicatively-designed and allow for comparisons that are as free as possible of the discourses being compared.

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OTHER MATERIALS BY THESE AUTHORS ON THIS WEB SITE:
For Dervin,
See:  http://communication.sbs.ohio-state.edu/sense-making/AAauthors/authorlistdervin.html.
For Shields,
See:http://communication.sbs.ohio-state.edu/sense-making/AAauthors/authorlistshieldsp.html.
For Song,
See: http://communication.sbs.ohio-state.edu/sense-making/AAauthors/authorlistsong.html