Organizing Silence
A World of Possibilities
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A thought-provoking look at how silence is embedded in our language, society, and institutions. Sexual harassment is explored as an example.
Description
Winner of the 2000 Outstanding Book Award presented by the Organizational Communication Division of the National Communication Association
Organizing Silence is a thought-provoking look at how silence is embedded in our language, society, and institutions. It provides an overview of the varied philosophical approaches to understanding the role of silence and communication. One particular view of silence/communication, as grounded in political and patriarchal frameworks, is given special attention. The author questions not only how dominant groups silence marginalized members of society, but also how marginalized groups privilege and abandon each other. Sexual harassment is given as an example of material and discursive practices that articulate both a micro and macro level of silence, and accounts of both women and men who have been sexually harassed are provided. The book provides an alternative aesthetic perspective as a way of understanding the realities we create, encouraging alternative ways to listen to the silence, and presenting novel possibilities for future research.
Robin Patric Clair is Associate Professor of Communication at Purdue University.
Reviews
"Organizing Silence is a significant, provocative, and compelling work. Clair develops a saturated and sanguine outline of the concept of silence as an expression, a process, and an institutional practice. " — Patricia Geist, San Diego State University
"Robin Patric Clair is one of the most promising young scholars in the field of organizational communication today. Her work is theoretically rich, methodologically sound, and highly provocative. Her research on the sequestering of sexual harassment stories is top drawer. " — Gail Fairhurst, University of Cincinnati