Coherence Co-constructed: Using Coherence for Analysis and Transformation of Social Conflicts

Authors

  • Ali Ersen Erol American University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13021/G8ncetp.v2.1.2015.440

Keywords:

narrative, coherence, poststructuralism

Abstract

Narrative coherence is a much-debated subject, primarily because different approaches to coherence leave us with an either/or predicament. We can either pay attention to rather modernist approaches that attempt to map meaning structures in a given text to locate points of coherence; or, we can pay attention to critical approaches that suggest even seeking coherence results in confirming with dominant discourses and narratives in a given context. This article is an attempt in reconciliation between these two approaches to provide an alternative approach to the question: what makes texts cohere? Using a political rally ad Turkish Prime Minister used to counter the protests that took place in Turkey during the summer of 2013, the article demonstrates how coherence is constructed as a relationship between a text and an audience based on semiotic markers that refer to historical and ideological narratives.

Author Biography

Ali Ersen Erol, American University

Professorial Lecturer, American University, School of International Service

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Published

2015-04-26

Issue

Section

Articles