Communication/Discourse “Discourse can be described as a pattern of words, figures of speech, concepts, values, and symbols. A discourse is a coherent way of describing and categorizing the social and physical worlds. Discourses gather around an object, person, social group or event of interest, providing a means of “making sense” of that object, person…all discourses are textual, or expressed in texts, inter-textual, drawing upon other texts and their discourses to achieve meaning, and contextual, embedded in historical, political, and cultural settings” (Lupton, 1994, p. 20)

Social construction of Reality To consider people’s experiences, we must address their subjective meanings and interpretive practices as well as how particular social realities emerge and are perpetuated Social reality: the world view that people take on as their own including beliefs, attitudes, norms, and rules that govern behavior

The conception of social reality is not to be understood as diminishing the importance of material or corporeal reality; rather it calls attention to a different layer of interpretation that contextualizes experience and enables coordination of activity

Ogden and Richards’ Triangle of Meaning Semantic Triangle Word (Symbol) Thought (Reference) Thing (Referent)

American Cancer Society John Ray Appalachian Initiative

Meaning construction is not a neutral process; rather, meanings are symbolic forms of power that can enable and constrain human potential Cx is contested terrain Individuals can transcend their existing social arrangements through an awareness of their condition and through changes in their choices