Relating Difficulty: The Processes of Constructing and Managing Difficult Interaction

Front Cover
D. Charles Kirkpatrick, Steven Duck, Megan K. Foley
Routledge, Sep 13, 2013 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 264 pages
Relating Difficulty offers insight into the nature of difficulty in relationships across a broad range of human experience. Whether dealing with in-laws or ex-spouses, long-distance relationships or power and status in the workplace, difficulty is an all too common feature of daily life. Relating Difficulty brings the academic understanding of relational processes to the everyday problems people face at home and at work.

These essays represent a groundbreaking collection of the multidisciplinary conceptual and empirical work that currently exists on the topic. Along with issues such as chronic illness and money problems, contributors investigate contexts of relational difficulty ranging from everyday gossip, the workplace and shyness to more dangerous sexual “hookups” and partner abuse.

Drawing on evidence presented in the volume, editors D. Charles Kirkpatrick, Steve Duck, and Megan K. Foley explain how relational problems do not emerge solely from individuals or even from the relationship itself. Instead, they arise from triangles of connection and negotiation between relational partners, contexts, and outsiders. The volume challenges the simple notion that relating difficulty is just about problems with "difficult people" and offers some genuinely novel insights into a familiar everyday experience.

This exceptional volume is essential reading for practitioners, researchers and students of relationships across a wide range of disciplines as well as anyone wanting greater understanding of relational functioning in everyday life and at work.
 

Contents

Preface
Steve Duck D Charles Kirkpatrick and Megan K Foley
Locating Difficulty A MultiSite Model of Intimate Terrorism
Leadership as the Management of Power in Relationships at Work
Michael J Lovaglia and Jeffrey W Lucas
Graham Allan and Christian Gerstner
The Trouble With Distance
Beer Goggles Catching Feelings and the Walk of Shame The Myths
Gossip and Network Relationships
Eric K Foster and Ralph L Rosnow
Difficult Relationships and Relationship Difficulties Relationship
Renee Lyons Lynn Langille and Steve Duck
Subject Index
Copyright

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Kirkpatrick, D. Charles; Duck, Steven; Foley, Megan K.

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