Communication as Normative Dialogue

Dialogue is not simply a way to talk and to verbally convey ideas, messages, and meanings. It is more than a framework to express feelings, needs, and wishes, and more than an opportunity to interconnect or converse beyond and despite the expected challenge of bridging differences and accommodating divergence. In essence, dialogue is more about the transformation of attitudes, opinions, and practices rather than their transmission. In other words, the focus is on conversion, not on conduction. In the specific context of dialogue, the transformation pertains to an orientation or mindset—from self-centeredness to relationship, and to attitude toward the Other—from instrumentalizing to dignifying. This chapter explores communication as normative dialogue.