
Argumentation in Complex Communication
Managing Disagreement in a Polylogue
Cambridge University Press
Published on 22. December 2022
Book
Hardback
278 pages
978-1-009-27437-1 (ISBN)
Description
A pervasive aspect of human communication and sociality is argumentation: the practice of making and criticizing reasons in the context of doubt and disagreement. Argumentation underpins and shapes the decision-making, problem-solving, and conflict management which are fundamental to human relationships. However, argumentation is predominantly conceptualized as two parties arguing pro and con positions with each other in one place. This dyadic bias undermines the capacity to engage argumentation in complex communication in contemporary, digital society. This book offers an ambitious alternative course of inquiry for the analysis, evaluation, and design of argumentation as polylogue: various players arguing over many positions across multiple places. Taking up key aspects of the twentieth-century revival of argumentation as a communicative, situated practice, the polylogue framework engages a wider range of discourses, messages, interactions, technologies, and institutions necessary for adequately engaging the contemporary entanglement of argumentation and complex communication in human activities.
Reviews / Votes
'Lewinski and Aakhus provide a detailed and in many ways compelling argument for viewing polylogues involving multiple parties (not monologues or dialogues) as the more fundamental type of communication. Their thesis has important consequences for how we understand argumentative discourses and should command serious attention from scholars and students in a number of related fields.' Christopher Tindale, University of Windsor '[This book] develops a compelling framework for how we ought to be studying argument in our increasingly mediated and digitized world. It is a book worth reading, and it is one likely to change conversations, offering a way to bring nuance and better judgment to public and personal debates about what are appropriate courses of actions.' Karen Tracy, ArgumentationMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Edition type
New edition
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
540 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-009-27437-1 (9781009274371)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Marcin Lewinski | Mark Aakhus
Argumentation in Complex Communication
Managing Disagreement in a Polylogue
Book
08/2025
Cambridge University Press
€31.00
Shipment within 15-20 days

Marcin Lewinski | Mark Aakhus
Argumentation in Complex Communication
Managing Disagreement in a Polylogue
E-Book
01/2023
Cambridge University Press
€125.99
Available for download

Marcin Lewinski | Mark Aakhus
Argumentation in Complex Communication
Managing Disagreement in a Polylogue
E-Book
12/2022
Cambridge University Press
€92.49
Available for download
Persons
Marcin Lewi¿ski is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and the Nova Institute of Philosophy, Nova University of Lisbon. His research applying philosophical concepts to the study of public argumentation has been published in journals, edited volumes and special issues (e.g. Environmental Argumentation, 2019).
Content
Part I. Seeking, Seeing, and Embracing Polylogue: 1. Seeking polylogue; 2. The Dyadic reduction; 3. Seeing polylogue; 4. Embracing polylogue. Part II. Analyzing, Evaluating, and Designing Polylogue. 5. Descriptive analysis of polylogues; 6. Normative evaluation of polylogues; 7. Prescriptive design of polylogues. 8. Conclusion.