Theorizing Communication Orientations of Privilege: How White Discourses (De) Construct Australian Aboriginals

We conducted a discourse analysis of Australians' conversations about race, exploring communication that (re)produces and decenters whiteness. We identified 23 communication practices, organized into four orientations (unity, separation, monologue, and dialogue), describing how those with power...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of international and intercultural communication Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 170 - 191
Main Authors Striley, Katie Margavio, Lawson, Shannon
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia Routledge 03.04.2014
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Australian Aboriginals
Communication
Communication Orientations of Privilege
Dialogue
Discourse Analysis
Native peoples
Race
Whiteness
Australia
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:We conducted a discourse analysis of Australians' conversations about race, exploring communication that (re)produces and decenters whiteness. We identified 23 communication practices, organized into four orientations (unity, separation, monologue, and dialogue), describing how those with power talk about those without power and (fail to) balance tensions between similarity and difference. Orientations of unity, monologue, and separation serve antidialogic functions by obstructing transformative thinking, de-legitimizing Aboriginal experiences, and reifying whiteness. Findings suggest it is possible, but rare, for individuals to engage in intercultural dialogue about race. Understanding communication orientations of privilege is a step towards facilitating talk that disrupts whiteness.
ISSN:1751-3057
1751-3065
DOI:10.1080/17513057.2014.898368