Dialogicality and Social Representations: The Dynamics of Mind

The theory of social knowledge developed in this book is based on dialogicality and the theory of social representations. It is argued that dialogicality, the capacity of the human mind to conceive, create and communicate about social realities in terms of, or in opposition to, otherness, is the sine qua non of the human mind. Social representations are sharply distinguished from mental and collective representations. Being embedded in history and culture, social representations manifest themselves in public discourses and social thinking about phenomena, which touch in some fundamental ways upon social realities, e.g. political, ecological or health related. The theory of social representations places communication and the concept of change in the centre of social psychology. Ivana Marková’s new book is unique in bringing together the concept of dialogue and social knowledge and will make an important contribution to social psychology, social and human sciences and communication studies.

• Unique in bringing together concept of dialogue and theory of social representations • Develops a new theory of social knowledge • Original contribution by an important scholar

Preface; 1. An epistemological problem for social psychology; 2. Thinking and antinomies; 3. Linguistic and dialogical antinomies; 4. Thinking through the mouth; 5. Social representations: old and new; 6. Dialogical triads and three-component processes; 7. Understanding themata and generating social representations; Conclusion: social representations and dialogicality.