Faculty Book-Length Publications (selected works)

%3Ch2%3E%3Cem%3ETherapy%20as%20Social%20Construction%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ch4%3Eedited%20by%20Sheila%20McNamee%20and%20Kenneth%20Gergen%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0D%0ASage%20Publications%2C%201992%3C%2Fh4%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3Eexcerpt%20from%20book%20jacket%3A%3C%2Fem%3E%20%E2%80%9CThis%20volume%20explores%20the%20new%20possibilities%20for%20the%20therapeutic%20process%20of%20adopting%20a%20social%20constructionist%20perspective%2E%20The%20starting%20point%20for%20all%20the%20contributors%20is%20a%20concern%20with%20socially%20constructed%20%22texts%2E%22%20On%20one%20hand%2C%20our%20senses%20of%20self%2C%20identity%2C%20and%20life%20purpose%20are%20fundamentally%2C%20socially%20and%20culturally%20embedded%2E%20On%20the%20other%2C%20no%20single%20cultural%20script%20is%20all%20powerful%2E%20In%20social%20constructionist%20therapy%2C%20a%20key%20process%20is%20the%20co%2Dcreation%20by%20therapists%20and%20clients%20of%20new%2C%20more%20satisfactory%20%22stories%2C%22%20in%20ways%20which%20nevertheless%20recognize%20their%20social%2C%20relational%20character%E2%80%A6The%20first%20part%20of%20the%20book%20looks%20at%20the%20theoretical%20basis%20for%20social%20constructionist%20therapy%2C%20including%20the%20implications%20for%20client%2Dtherapist%20relationships%2E%20Authors%20then%20explore%20various%20approaches%20in%20practice%E2%80%A6the%20final%20section%20presents%20an%20exhilarating%20mix%20of%20overview%2C%20self%2Dcritique%2C%20and%20an%20agenda%20for%20the%20future%2E%22%20%2D%2DC%2E%20L%2EKleinke%2C%20University%20of%20Alaska%2C%20Anchorage%3C%2Fp%3E

Therapy as Social Construction

edited by Sheila McNamee and Kenneth Gergen
Sage Publications, 1992

excerpt from book jacket: “This volume explores the new possibilities for the therapeutic process of adopting a social constructionist perspective. The starting point for all the contributors is a concern with socially constructed "texts." On one hand, our senses of self, identity, and life purpose are fundamentally, socially and culturally embedded. On the other, no single cultural script is all powerful. In social constructionist therapy, a key process is the co-creation by therapists and clients of new, more satisfactory "stories," in ways which nevertheless recognize their social, relational character…The first part of the book looks at the theoretical basis for social constructionist therapy, including the implications for client-therapist relationships. Authors then explore various approaches in practice…the final section presents an exhilarating mix of overview, self-critique, and an agenda for the future." --C. L.Kleinke, University of Alaska, Anchorage

%3Ch2%3E%3Cem%3ERelational%20Responsibility%3A%20Resources%20for%20Sustainable%20Dialogue%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ch4%3Eedited%20by%20Sheila%20McNamee%20and%20Kenneth%20Gergen%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0D%0ASage%20Publications%2C%201998%3C%2Fh4%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3Eexcerpt%20from%20book%20cover%3A%3C%2Fem%3E%20The%20tradition%20of%20individual%20responsibility%20where%20individuals%20deliberate%2C%20morally%20evaluate%2C%20and%20then%20decide%20on%20a%20course%20of%20action%20is%20dear%20to%20the%20heart%20of%20Western%20ethical%20and%20legal%20codes%20and%20informs%20many%20contemporary%20practices%20of%20therapy%2C%20education%2C%20and%20organizational%20life%2E%20It%20also%20typically%20isolates%2C%20alienates%2C%20and%20ultimately%20invites%20the%20eradication%20of%20the%20other%27%27s%20step%20toward%20non%2Dmeaning%2E%20A%20vast%20range%20of%20current%20thinking%20places%20this%20view%20of%20the%20independently%20responsible%20individual%20in%20strong%20question%2E%20In%20%3Cem%3ERelational%20Responsibility%3C%2Fem%3E%2C%20the%20authors%20attempt%20to%20transform%20the%20concept%20of%20responsibility%20in%20such%20a%20way%20that%20the%20relational%20process%20replaces%20the%20individual%20as%20the%20central%20concern%2E%20This%20volume%20invites%20practices%20that%20replace%20alienation%20and%20isolation%20with%20meaning%2Dbuilding%20dialogue%2E%26%23160%3B%3C%2Fp%3E

Relational Responsibility: Resources for Sustainable Dialogue

edited by Sheila McNamee and Kenneth Gergen
Sage Publications, 1998

excerpt from book cover: The tradition of individual responsibility where individuals deliberate, morally evaluate, and then decide on a course of action is dear to the heart of Western ethical and legal codes and informs many contemporary practices of therapy, education, and organizational life. It also typically isolates, alienates, and ultimately invites the eradication of the other''s step toward non-meaning. A vast range of current thinking places this view of the independently responsible individual in strong question. In Relational Responsibility, the authors attempt to transform the concept of responsibility in such a way that the relational process replaces the individual as the central concern. This volume invites practices that replace alienation and isolation with meaning-building dialogue.

%3Ch2%3E%3Cem%3ENo%20Sense%20of%20Place%3A%20The%20Impact%20of%20Electronic%20Media%20on%20Social%20Behavior%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ch4%3Eby%20Joshua%20Meyrowitz%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0D%0AOxford%20University%20Press%2C%202005%3C%2Fh4%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3Eexcerpt%20from%20book%20jacket%3A%3C%2Fem%3E%20How%20has%20television%20affected%20our%20everyday%20experience%3F%20This%20question%20has%20generated%20endless%20arguments%20and%20speculations%2C%20but%20no%20thinker%20has%20addressed%20the%20issue%20with%20such%20force%20and%20originality%20as%20Joshua%20Meyrowitz%2E%20Advancing%20a%20daring%20and%20sophisticated%20theory%2C%20Meyrowitz%20shows%20how%20television%20and%20other%20electronic%20media%20create%20new%20social%20situations%20that%20are%20no%20longer%20shaped%20by%20where%20we%20are%20or%20who%20is%20%22with%22%20us%2E%20While%20other%20media%20experts%20have%20limited%20the%20debate%20to%20program%20content%2C%20Meyrowitz%20focuses%20on%20the%20ways%20in%20which%20television%20has%20rearranged%20%22who%20knows%20what%20about%20whom%2C%22%20making%20it%20impossible%20for%20us%20to%20behave%20with%20each%20other%20in%20traditional%20ways%2E%20He%20shows%20how%20television%20has%20lifted%20many%20of%20the%20veils%20of%20secrecy%20between%20children%20and%20adults%2C%20men%20and%20women%2C%20and%20politicians%20and%20average%20citizens%2E%20The%20result%20is%20a%20series%20of%20revolutionary%20changes%2C%20including%20the%20blurring%20of%20age%2C%20gender%2C%20and%20authority%20distinctions%2E%3C%2Fp%3E

No Sense of Place: The Impact of Electronic Media on Social Behavior

by Joshua Meyrowitz
Oxford University Press, 2005

excerpt from book jacket: How has television affected our everyday experience? This question has generated endless arguments and speculations, but no thinker has addressed the issue with such force and originality as Joshua Meyrowitz. Advancing a daring and sophisticated theory, Meyrowitz shows how television and other electronic media create new social situations that are no longer shaped by where we are or who is "with" us. While other media experts have limited the debate to program content, Meyrowitz focuses on the ways in which television has rearranged "who knows what about whom," making it impossible for us to behave with each other in traditional ways. He shows how television has lifted many of the veils of secrecy between children and adults, men and women, and politicians and average citizens. The result is a series of revolutionary changes, including the blurring of age, gender, and authority distinctions.

%3Ch2%3E%3Cem%3ERhetorics%20of%20Display%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ch4%3Eedited%20by%20Lawrence%20J%2E%20Prelli%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0D%0AUniversity%20of%20South%20Carolina%20Press%2C%202006%3C%2Fh4%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3Eexcerpt%20from%20book%20cover%3A%20Rhetorics%20of%20Display%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20a%20pathbreaking%20volume%20that%20brings%20together%20a%20distinguished%20group%20of%20scholars%20to%20assess%20an%20increasingly%20pervasive%20form%20of%20rhetorical%20activity%2E%20Editor%20Lawrence%20J%2E%20Prelli%20notes%20in%20his%20introduction%20that%20twenty%2Dfirst%20century%20citizens%20continually%20confront%20displays%20of%20information%20and%20images%2C%20from%20the%20verbal%20images%20of%20speeches%20and%20literature%20to%20visual%20images%20of%20film%20and%20photography%20to%20exhibits%20in%20museums%20to%20the%20arrangement%20of%20our%20homes%20to%20the%20merchandising%20of%20consumer%20goods%2E%20The%20volume%20provides%20an%20integrated%2C%20comprehensive%20study%20of%20the%20processes%20of%20selecting%20what%20to%20reveal%20and%20what%20to%20conceal%20that%20together%20constitute%20the%20rhetorics%20of%20display%2E%26%23160%3B%3C%2Fp%3E

Rhetorics of Display

edited by Lawrence J. Prelli
University of South Carolina Press, 2006

excerpt from book cover: Rhetorics of Display is a pathbreaking volume that brings together a distinguished group of scholars to assess an increasingly pervasive form of rhetorical activity. Editor Lawrence J. Prelli notes in his introduction that twenty-first century citizens continually confront displays of information and images, from the verbal images of speeches and literature to visual images of film and photography to exhibits in museums to the arrangement of our homes to the merchandising of consumer goods. The volume provides an integrated, comprehensive study of the processes of selecting what to reveal and what to conceal that together constitute the rhetorics of display.

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Faculty Book-Length Publications (selected works)

Therapy as Social Construction

edited by Sheila McNamee and Kenneth Gergen Sage Publications, 1992