{"id":3402,"date":"2026-08-19T11:53:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/?page_id=3402"},"modified":"2026-08-20T10:47:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T15:47:29","slug":"the-co-creation-of-meaning","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/ken-fox\/the-co-creation-of-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"The Co-creation of Meaning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background\" style=\"background-color:#616265\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-stretch is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-bottom\" style=\"grid-template-columns:16% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a class=\"\" href=\"\/dri-skills-lab\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"861\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1619 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5.png 861w, https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2024\/01\/DRI-Skills-Lab-Logo-2C-rgb-REV_V-5-768x402.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 861px) 100vw, 861px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<header class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><nav style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:700;background-color: #616265\" class=\"has-text-color has-white-color has-background has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-left alignfull cmenu1 wp-block-navigation is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-navigation-is-layout-9cdb7320 wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Main\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container has-text-color has-white-color has-background\" style=\"background-color: #939495\" id=\"modal-1\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-1-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:700;background-color: #616265\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__container has-text-color has-white-color has-background has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-left alignfull cmenu1 wp-block-navigation\"><li style=\"text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"has-text-color has-white-color has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item menu_link wp-block-home-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-home-link__content wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\" rel=\"home\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item activelink wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/resources\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">RESOURCES<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/dri-press\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">DRI PRESS<\/span><\/a><\/li><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-navigation-item has-small-font-size has-child open-on-hover-click wp-block-navigation-submenu\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">COLLECTIONS<\/span><\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"COLLECTIONS submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" style=\"color:#ffffff;background-color:#939495\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container has-text-color has-white-color has-background wp-block-navigation-submenu\"><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/marjorie-aaron\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Marjorie Corman Aaron<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/jim-coben\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Jim Coben<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/collections\/jim-hilbert\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Jim Hilbert<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/nextgen\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">NEXTGEN<\/span><\/a><\/li><li style=\"text-transform:uppercase\" class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/forums\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Forums<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav><\/div><\/header>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"margin-top:2rem;margin-bottom:2rem\">The Co-creation of Meaning<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This module can be a bit challenging for students since it questions certain basic assumptions about what people often consider to be \u201cfacts\u201d and \u201ctruth.\u201d Despite the abstract nature of this week\u2019s topic, there are some pretty clear touchpoints to focus on and it introduces an important, and very different, way to approach conflict insight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A starting principle underlying social constructionism (the co-creation of meaning) is the premise that many of the things we take to be \u201creal\u201d and \u201ctrue\u201d in our social lives are actually only \u201creal\u201d or \u201ctrue\u201d because enough people agree or believe they are real to create a \u201csubjective certainty\u201d as opposed to an objective external reality. For purposes of this class at least, it helps to distinguish among <strong><em>physical \u201ctruth\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (e.g. your body may cease to function if a big enough tree falls on it), <strong><em>moral \u201ctruth\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (e.g. there is only one God whose law orders the universe), and <strong><em>social \u201ctruth\u201d<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 the way we understand, judge and act on our social experiences. For purposes of this class, we are focusing on \u201csocial truth\u201d in relation to the experience of conflict. Discussions of physical and moral truth, while interesting, go well beyond the scope of this class and could distract from the primary purpose for this module: To better understand how people, groups and communities make sense of their social experiences \u2013 their social \u201ctruths\u201d \u2013 in ways that can clash (be incommensurate) with others\u2019 social truths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two examples of \u201csocial truth:\u201d The first is what can be commonly called a $50 bill. I may be holding a small rectangular piece of printed fabric with ink on it (a physical fact) but it has no meaning unless and until enough people agree on what it stands for \u2013 a certain type of value (a subjective certainty). In this case, the subjective certainty of its meaning likely is almost universal within the culture that uses this kind of paper money and thus not questioned. Nevertheless, its meaning is still socially constructed. How about cryptocurrency like bitcoins?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second example is a bit closer to our study of conflict: Imagine paint on a canvas (a physical fact).&nbsp; If enough people agree that it is \u201cart,\u201d it might be acquired by and hang on a museum wall. The \u201cfact\u201d that it is art is socially constructed. Chances are, there will be some, who would claim it is not \u201cart\u201d at all. Think of \u201cartists\u201d such as Banksy, Caravaggio, Robert Mapplethorpe, Chris Ofili, Piero Manzoni, Yoki Ono, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol, among others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This second example may not have quite as broadly accepted \u201csubjective certainty\u201d about what constitutes \u201cart\u201d as the \u201csubjective certainty\u201d of a $50 bill.&nbsp; In this second case the \u201cmeaning\u201d may be more clearly subjective and more private than the $50 bill, but the principle between the two examples is the same: There is an important distinction between <strong><em>\u201cfacts\u201d<\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em>\u201cmeaning.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> A \u201cfact\u201d is something that is consistent with objective reality and stands independently of human interpretation (such as exists in the physical world or that can be proven by evidence). In contrast, \u201cmeaning\u201d is the significance of facts as to how we interpret, judge and engage in our social lives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For law students in particular, the importance of this distinction is important but can be confusing. From their first legal writing course, law students are trained to identify \u201cfacts\u201d and apply them to principles of law. Anything other than facts is often characterized as \u201copinion.\u201d&nbsp; However, outside a legal context, and particularly in day-to-day life, people function and interact with one another based largely on the \u201csubjective certainty\u201d of their lived and social experiences. Thus, when human conflict arises, it can, and often does, include different lived experiences that lead to different and conflicting social \u201ctruths.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of this is for the following point: In whatever way they express it, students should be able to articulate that social constructionism refers to the ways we understand, explain, and act in our social worlds based on the \u201cmeaning\u201d we make through social experience, and the subjective certainty we experience as \u201cfacts\u201d and \u201ctruth.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As this relates to conflict, it is possible that different parties come to a conflict from different social worlds (different systems of \u201cmeaning\u201d such as family background, community and cultural differences) and, as a result, all the parties are grounded in their own \u201ctruth\u201d about the same conflict.&nbsp; While this does <strong><em>not<\/em><\/strong> mean we should fall into the hole of moral relativism, it <strong><em>does<\/em><\/strong> mean that, when it comes to conflict, parties can (and often do) have deeply embedded systems of belief and meaning that lead them to different \u2013 likely incommensurate \u2013 understandings of what is \u201ctrue,\u201d \u201cright\u201d and what \u201cmust\u201d happen in the conflict.&nbsp; This is not the same as holding different \u201copinions\u201d. This is a different way to look at conflict than the theories we have studied up to this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A \u201cMacro\u201d<\/strong> v. <strong>\u201cMicro\u201d<\/strong> view of Social Constructionism. A second point that is covered in this module is how \u201cmeaning\u201d can be understood either from a \u201cmacro\u201d point of view or a \u201cmicro\u201d point of view. The \u201cmacro\u201d view looks at how social groups make meaning as a whole and, typically, through time. \u201cCulture\u201d is a classic example of a macro view of constructed meaning.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In contrast, a \u201cmicro\u201d view of social construction looks at very minute interactions and how they can shape meaning in real time as an interaction unfolds. Think of an argument where, at a particular moment, your counterpart says something unexpected. It causes you to pause, re-think, and react something like \u201cooohhhhh, so <em>THAT\u2019S<\/em> what you mean! Now I get it! Nevermind!\u201d&#8230;. and everything changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Put differently, the \u201cmacro\u201d and \u201cmicro\u201d views of social construction are both looking for the same thing \u2013 evidence of how meaning is made. The only difference is whether you use a telescope or a microscope in search of relevant data. We are looking for evidence that students understand this distinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, the social constructionist view is profoundly different than what we have studied so far. In particular, it is different from the individualist theories, (such as the biological, psychodynamic and behavioral theories). For example, the individualist theories focus primarily on the individual themselves without comparing how two individuals might experience the same conflict situation based on deeply different \u201ctruths\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Impact on conflict work.<\/strong> This is the \u201cso what\u201d question. Here are some sample insights students might take from this perspective:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:15px\">I will listen differently (and without judgement) to understand the deeper assumptions or premises on which the parties base their \u201ctruths\u201d and \u201cmeaning.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:15px\">I will work to facilitate building a new shared language to bridge the different worldviews between parties (note: this is not the same as building \u201ccommon ground\u201d or \u201cshared interests\u201d since those can only occur if the parties already actually share the same underlying \u201cmeaning\u201d or \u201cworldview\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:15px\">I will not (immediately) focus on solving the \u201cproblem\u201d since there is not even a shared understanding of how even to define or frame what the problem is.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Readings and supplemental resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color has-normal-font-size wp-elements-02f2910c281b102d11d11a7802f5046c\" style=\"color:#000000\"><strong>Primary readings:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Perspectives on Conflict, chapter 8 \u2013 The Co-creation of Meaning<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color has-normal-font-size wp-elements-374d5b567c7707af99ffb2e24d9ce5b6 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#010101\"><strong>Supplemental resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kenneth Gergen, <em>An Invitation to Social Construction: Co-creating the Future<\/em> (Sage Publications, 2023)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">W. Barnett Pearce and Stephen W. Littlejohn, <em>Moral Conflict: When Social Worlds Collide<\/em> (Sage Publications, 1997)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Classroom Handouts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2026\/08\/3-Figure-1-1-Overlapping-Cones-a.pdf\">Figure 1.1 &#8211; Overlapping Cones (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Classroom Activities, Discussion Prompts, and Assignments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1003\/2026\/08\/Supplemental-Meaning-exercise-a.pdf\">Meaning-Making: How We Co-create Meaning Through \u201cSupplements\u201d (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Co-creation of Meaning Overview This module can be a bit challenging for students since it questions certain basic assumptions about what people often consider to be \u201cfacts\u201d and \u201ctruth.\u201d Despite the abstract nature of this week\u2019s topic, there are some pretty clear touchpoints to focus on and it introduces an important, and very different, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":3321,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/landing.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":true,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3402","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3402"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3472,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3402\/revisions\/3472"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchellhamline.edu\/dri-skills-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}