Before and beyond dialogicality: Transformative trialectics ofhuman dialogues

Abstract

I first revisit Bakhtin's discourse-driven account of dialogue to situate the concept in its broad sociohistorical, political, and philosophical (i.e., epistemology-ontology-ethics-aesthetics-praxis) meaning context. Not only is the concept of dialogicality highly relevant for the psychology of difference but it also poses many strong meta/theoretical challenges. Second, therefore, I rapidly evaluate psychology's disciplinary developmental status and transformative potentials of Bakhtinian dialogicalism in/for psychological discourses. I pay particular attention to the (im)possibilities of a potential dialogue between psycho-logic/-logy and dia-logic/-logue in reference to our biosociocultural (real-symbolic-imaginary) human be(com)ings. Thus, while triangulating, reframing and refracting with/in my seemingly more radically pluralist and dynamic perspective, using some core notions from its conceptual matrix for. (potentially) self-reflective transformative-transformations, such as triopus and transformational trialectics, it is hoped that the fascination with pragmatics of dialogicality would not overshadow the concept's hermeneutically transformative utility which asks for serious dialogical confrontations, insights, bold philosophical commitments and consistent knowledge-practices in/towards all areas of our human(e) worlds. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.