Discursive Psychology

Edited by Diego Tapia Figueroa & Roberto Ricardi Costard
Organized by: TILAC (Taos Institute Latin America, Spain and Portugal Council)

Contributions from Social Constructionism: Relational-Dialogical Perspectives from Latin America is a polyphonic and interdisciplinary collection that brings together authors from diverse Latin American and Ibero-American contexts to explore contemporary relational, collaborative-dialogical, narrative, and generative practices grounded in social constructionism. The book offers situated reflections on care, dialogue, mental health, education, justice, community work, and social transformation, emphasizing relational ethics, plurality, and the co-construction of meaningful and socially responsive practices.

Organized into thematic sections, the volume includes contributions from therapists, researchers, educators, community practitioners, and interdisciplinary professionals working across different cultural, institutional, and social realities. The chapters address topics such as collaborative-dialogical practices, intersectionality, community mental health, family therapy, restorative and dialogical practices, psychological assessment, supervision and intervision, violence prevention, social participation, and transformative relational work. Alongside theoretical discussions, the book includes practice-based reflections, collective experiences, and locally situated approaches that highlight the diversity of voices and contexts shaping contemporary social constructionist practices in Latin America.

More than a regional compilation, this work is an invitation to rethink knowledge production, professional practice, and social participation through dialogue, relational responsibility, and collaborative meaning-making. It will be of interest to scholars, students, therapists, educators, health professionals, and community practitioners seeking plural, context-sensitive, and transformative approaches to human relationships and social life.

Statement of the Problem: In many African societies, pronatalist norms strongly influence the social fabric, positioning marriage and parenthood as essential markers of adulthood, social legitimacy, and identity. Individuals who are unmarried, involuntarily childless, or voluntarily childfree often face heightened social scrutiny, stigma, and psychosocial distress. Purpose of the Study: This study aims to synthesize existing research on pronatalism, reproductive stigma, and mental health among unmarried adults in sub-Saharan Africa. By examining the relationship between cultural norms, stigma, and psychological distress, the study seeks to identify gaps in current assessment methods and propose a culturally responsive clinical framework for mental health professionals. Methodology: An integrative review methodology was used, synthesizing 20 peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2025. The studies included qualitative, quantitative, and review-based research focused on pronatalism, stigma, and mental health in African contexts. The analysis was guided by cultural psychiatry, structural determinants of health, and gendered pronatalism frameworks. Findings: The review identified four interrelated themes: (1) the influence of pronatalist cultural norms and gendered expectations on social identity, (2) the stigma associated with childlessness and its impact on psychosocial distress, (3) the gendered pathways through which pronatalism affects mental health outcomes, and (4) the limitations of current psychological distress assessments in culturally diverse settings. The findings indicate that chronic exposure to societal pressure, identity invalidation, and stigma contribute significantly to psychological distress among unmarried individuals. Conclusion: The review highlights that current mental health assessment tools often fail to capture the culturally specific distress experienced by individuals subject to reproductive pressures. Recommendations: The review proposes a culturally responsive clinical assessment framework incorporating cultural psychiatry and ecosocial theory to help mental health professionals distinguish between culturally normative distress and psychopathology, improving diagnostic accuracy and enhancing culturally competent care.

European academics have historically been reluctant to conduct explicit gang research on the premise that it risks stereotyping communities. Subsequently, notions about gangs in the UK have been transposed from American literature, which is primarily based within a criminological perspective and focuses on personal characteristics of gang members, such as their violent tendencies . Alternatively, underpinned by a community psychology perspective, this research explores how young people involved in gangs construct their identities and experiences, and to what extent these constructions reproduce or resist political discourse. Semi-structured interviews with six self-identified gang members, as well as the UK policy 'Ending Gang and Youth Violence' (Home Office, 2011) were analysed using a hybrid approach of discursive psychology and critical discourse analysis. The four main discursive sites identified in the policy were: i) The demonization of gangs, ii) the inevitability of gangs, iii) gangs: the product of 'troubled families', iv) the racialization of gangs. The four main discursive sites within the interviews were: i) experiences of racism, ii) the inevitability of gang membership, iii) problematized identities, iv) individual and family responsibility. The analysis indicated that, at times, the participants reproduced problematising ideological discourse, at other times they constructed reimagined personal narratives which resisted hegemonic discourses about gang members, and at other times they exposed the oppressive mechanisms of political discourse, by detailing how being labelled a 'gang member' and racial discrimination had shaped their subjectivities and lived experiences. The findings indicate the need for an overhaul of elitist policy production, for authentic participation of young people with experiences of living in deprived areas, and for a shift from the 'criminological' framework of gang policy towards 'welfare'. Furthermore, the findings highlight the need to direct political attention to addressing racial discrimination. Clinically, community psychology approaches are recommended, as well as working at macro levels to change cultural narratives around this group. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .

Cultural memory is one of the key elements in forming a society’s identity and maintaining its connection with the past. Films, as products of cultural memory, play an effective role in the construction of social memory. This study aims to analyze the relationship that films establish with social memory through selected examples and to identify how viewers relate to the representations of social memory within these films. Within the scope of the research, viewing rates have been accepted as a criterion directly proportional to the audience’s interest in films. In terms of scope and limitations, four films that surpassed the five-million-viewer threshold and were screened in movie theaters in Turkey were selected through purposive sampling. While “Fetih 1453” and “Ayla” are based on historical events, “Bergen” and “Müslüm” address social sensitivities such as violence against women and class differences. The study aims to conduct a thematic analysis of the films, identify common themes, and reveal the connection these films establish with collective memory through these themes. For this purpose, content analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used to determine, code, and categorize the themes. Furthermore, specific scenes were described to explain the connection established with social memory through these scenes. The findings were examined in relation to the theories discussed in the literature section, focusing on the relationship between films and social memory. The main objective of the study is to determine the impact of films as sites of memory in connecting the past and the present. Therefore, the individual and collective traumas reflected in the selected films were evaluated in proportion to the attention these films received, and their roles in identity construction and the cultural traces they carried were explained with examples from contemporary society. The study concludes that the analyzed films not only remind us of the past but also establish meaningful connections with contemporary social issues, playing an important role in the reproduction of collective memory.

Cultural memory is one of the key elements in forming a society's identity and maintaining its connection with the past. Films, as products of cultural memory, play an effective role in the construction of social memory. This study aims to analyze the relationship that films establish with social memory through selected examples and to identify how viewers relate to the representations of social memory within these films. Within the scope of the research, viewing rates have been accepted as a criterion directly proportional to the audience's interest in films. In terms of scope and limitations, four films that surpassed the five-million-viewer threshold and were screened in movie theaters in Turkey were selected through purposive sampling. While "Fetih 1453" and "Ayla" are based on historical events, "Bergen" and "Müslüm" address social sensitivities such as violence against women and class differences. The study aims to conduct a thematic analysis of the films, identify common themes, and reveal the connection these films establish with collective memory through these themes. For this purpose, content analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used to determine, code, and categorize the themes. Furthermore, specific scenes were described to explain the connection established with social memory through these scenes. The findings were examined in relation to the theories discussed in the literature section, focusing on the relationship between films and social memory. The main objective of the study is to determine the impact of films as sites of memory in connecting the past and the present. Therefore, the individual and collective traumas reflected in the selected films were evaluated in proportion to the attention these films received, and their roles in identity construction and the cultural traces they carried were explained with examples from contemporary society. The study concludes that the analyzed films not only remind us of the past but also establish meaningful connections with contemporary social issues, playing an important role in the reproduction of collective memory.

Cultural memory is one of the key elements in forming a society's identity and maintaining its connection with the past. Films, as products of cultural memory, play an effective role in the construction of social memory. This study aims to analyze the relationship that films establish with social memory through selected examples and to identify how viewers relate to the representations of social memory within these films. Within the scope of the research, viewing rates have been accepted as a criterion directly proportional to the audience's interest in films. In terms of scope and limitations, four films that surpassed the five-million-viewer threshold and were screened in movie theaters in Turkey were selected through purposive sampling. While "Fetih 1453" and "Ayla" are based on historical events, "Bergen" and "Müslüm" address social sensitivities such as violence against women and class differences. The study aims to conduct a thematic analysis of the films, identify common themes, and reveal the connection these films establish with collective memory through these themes. For this purpose, content analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used to determine, code, and categorize the themes. Furthermore, specific scenes were described to explain the connection established with social memory through these scenes. The findings were examined in relation to the theories discussed in the literature section, focusing on the relationship between films and social memory. The main objective of the study is to determine the impact of films as sites of memory in connecting the past and the present. Therefore, the individual and collective traumas reflected in the selected films were evaluated in proportion to the attention these films received, and their roles in identity construction and the cultural traces they carried were explained with examples from contemporary society. The study concludes that the analyzed films not only remind us of the past but also establish meaningful connections with contemporary social issues, playing an important role in the reproduction of collective memory.

Gale Miller I offer an approach to discursive therapies as institutional discourse in this paper. Discursive therapies are relatively new developments in the therapy world (Lock & Strong, 2012). They mirror discursive trends in philosophy and the social sciences over the past century . Discursively oriented philosophers and social scientists treat people's uses of language as creative activities that are comparable to their other-seemingly non-discursive-activities, such as building bridges, cooking meals, or doing surgery. This orientation is basic to social constructionist perspectives in philosophy, the social sciences, and therapy (Holstein & Gubrium, 2008;. The perspectives consider how people's senses of themselves and their worlds emerge as they interact with each other. depict discursive therapy interactions as collaborative conversations concerned with what clients want and the resources available to clients in achieving their preferred futures.

“Risk” is defined as “the product of the probability and consequences (magnitude and severity) of an adverse event (i.e., a hazard)” (Lupton, 2024, p. 25). Whereas “Risk Perception”, as defined by Pidgeon, Hood, Jones, Turner, and Gibson, it refers to “people’s beliefs, attitudes, judgments and feelings, as well as the wider social or cultural values and dispositions that people adopt, towards hazards and their benefits”
(Bodemer and Gaissmaier, 2014, p. 11).
Social science literature approaches risk perception in various ways. A common method is “Naïve Realist” perspective, rooted in technical and scientific frameworks like cognitive science, grounded in psychology. Alternatively, social constructionism emphasizes social and cultural contexts of risk (Lupton, 2024, p. 25).
This essay evaluates whether socio-cultural theories of risk have enhanced our understanding of security-related risks in organizations by examining socio-cultural perspectives and theories on risk, focusing on “Risk Society” theory, and applying these ideas to organizational settings.

Arabesk müziğin sinema ile olan yakın ilişkisi göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, arabesk şarkıcıların hayatını konu alan yakın dönem filmlerinde bu şarkıcıların gerçek kimliğinden ziyade şiddetle mücadele gibi farklı konulardaki söylemler üzerinden yeniden nasıl inşa edildiği ilgi çekmektedir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, arabesk kimliğin zaman içinde uğradığı değişime bağlı ortaya çıkan neoarabesk kimliğin söylem aracılığıyla inşa sürecini kadına şiddetle mücadele bağlamında araştırmaktır. Dijital etnografi araştırma deseninde kurgulanan bu çalışmada, Bergen filmi resmî Instagram hesabında yer alan 112 adet içerik Teun van Dijk’in eleştirel söylem metoduyla incelenmiştir. Araştırmada elde edilen bu bulgular ilgili literatür araştırmaları çerçevesinde tartışılmıştır. Bu araştırmanın sonuçlarına göre film, Bergen’in arabesk ses sanatçısı kimliğinin sınırlarını genişletmiş ve dinleyicilerin arabesk şarkı sevip sevmeme durumundan bağımsızlaşan neoarabesk kimlik, acıların kadını söylemiyle inşa edilen arabesk kimliğin yerine geçerek acılara rağmen başarılı kadın söylemiyle mücadeleci, aktif bir role bürünmüştür. Günümüz ihtiyaçlarına göre değişen neoBergen, arabesk şarkı temalarında yer alan kurban figürünün aksine kadına yönelik şiddetle mücadelenin sembolü olarak yeniden inşa edilmiştir.

It is a matter of curiosity how the meaning attributed to the music corresponds to our identity, rather than the sounds that make up the music. It has been the subject of research that music can be a tool both to define the social identities that individuals belong to, and to separate others. Music also can create a group and provide a basis for the construction of social identity. Thus, it can be said that music can be a tool both to define the social identities that individuals belong to and to separate others, and to create a social identity by creating a group itself. From a social constructivist theoretical point of view, music is both the constructor and the constructed itself. In the body of the literature, it is seen that people evaluate others who prefer different music than themselves as an outgroup. The purpose of this research is to investigate the reasons young people listen to the local 45’s songs within the context of social identity. In addition, the research also deals with the consumption patterns of the local 45’s songs, the performance areas, mental attributions, and the effects of all these factors on social identity. The data of this phenomenological study is collected through semi-structured questions via interview method, and the content analysis is applied to the data. In the research findings, the participants mostly defined the places where local 45's songs are played as cafes (n=15, 39.47%) and pubs (n=8, 21.05%), and a retro (n=6, 15.78%) design about the appearance of these places. According to the research findings; the participants attributed the characteristics such as, nostalgia lover (n=7, 20.59%), open-mindedness (n=6, 17.65%), to the other people who listen to the local 45’s songs. However, the participants attributed the most negative adjectives such as rude (n=7, 20.59%), disrespectful (n=8, 14.54%), unconscious consumer (n=10, 18.18%), ignorant of music (n=4, 7.27%), prejudiced (n=2, 3.64%), old-fashion (n=3, 5.45%), loser (n=1, 1.81%) to those who does not listen to these songs. Considering the personal characteristics that they think are similar to those of the local 45’s listeners’; the highest is found to be open-minded (n=3, 13.04%), respectful (n=3, 13.04%), interested, and curious (n=4, 17.39%). There was a theme of deep intellectuality (n=2, 8.69%) among the features that the participants attributed to the local 45’s listeners. Indeed, it is noteworthy that they made such references when describing their similar characteristics for themselves. On the other hand, the highest team about the participants’ attributions to others’ reasons about to dislike local 45’s songs as follows: meaningless life (n=5, 16.13%) and being prejudiced (n=5, 16.13%).
Participants also chose these definitions such as, emotional attachment (n=11, 2.44%), nostalgic (n=7, 15.56%), and playing qualified music (n=7, 15.56%) regarding the features of the place where the local 45’s songs are played. They also referred to other people who come to these places as intellectual (n=8, 14.03%), living life consciously (n=6, 10.53%), and care the external look (n=9, 15.79%). In addition, emotional reasons (n=12, 28.57%) is the most frequent theme among the motivations of listening to the local 45’s songs, and the reasons for the others who do not prefer these songs are defined as meaningless life (n=5, %16.13), and to find cliché (n=5, %16.13).
The findings show that popular music is a storage for the consumers to ascribe personal meanings. In addition, it has been observed that the participants identify with the songs they listen to by attributing a personal meaning, and they place those who make different choices at the opposite point of this mental identification. Thus, music is both a bearer of collective identity and a norm setter in the relations between a group and others.
These findings are going to be discussed within the perspective of the social constructivist theoretical framework and the body of the literature. In addition, in the conclusion section, suggestions for future studies are presented.

An extensive body of literature exists on the phenomena of poverty, charitable giving and the effectiveness of aid appeals. To date psychological research has predominantly focused on individualistic models to explain people's understandings of poverty and their charitable giving practices. Based upon a social constructionist epistemology, this study investigates how understandings of aid appeals, poverty and charitable giving are discursively produced and constructed in relation to one another through an analysis of New Zealand young adults' talk about these issues. Data were collected from three focus group discussions among pre-existing friendship groups comprising three male and nine female students aged between 18 and 25. A brief video clip of aid appeals was used to stimulate discussion on poverty and charitable giving. Analysis of these discussions revealed three discursive themes relating to the aid appeals: local versus international need, emotional arousal and insufficient information. Drawing upon these themes the participants constructed poverty as relative or extreme, and largely explained by educational deficits. They constructed charitable giving as solicited through aid appeals, as compromised through immunity to such appeals, and as diminished through positionings of self-help and self-responsibility. These discursive constructions were drawn on by participants to legitimate their own non-donor position.

Η εργασία αυτή εστιάζει στο ζήτημα του ορθού λόγου, όπως παρουσιάζεται στο φιλοσοφικό έργο δυο μεγάλων στοχαστών της κριτικής θεωρίας, του Μαξ Χορκχάιμερ και του Γιούργκεν Χάμπερμας, με σκοπό να αναδείξει τις προοπτικές κοινωνικής χειραφέτησης που ανοίγονται στη μία και την άλλη περίπτωση. Αρχικά, γίνεται μια συνοπτική παρουσίαση των βασικών αρχών και του αντικειμένου της κριτικής θεωρίας, καθώς και μια παρουσίαση των φιλοσοφικών θεωριών που την επηρέασαν, με αναφορές σε έργα του Μαξ Βέμπερ, του Καρλ Μαρξ και του Γκρέγκορ Λούκατς. Στη συνέχεια, αναλύονται δύο μορφές λόγου κατά τον Χορκχάιμερ: ο αντικειμενικός λόγος, ο οποίος θεωρείται μια εγγενής αρχή της πραγματικότητας και ο εργαλειακός λόγος, ο οποίος εκλαμβάνεται ως ένα εργαλείο με το οποίο εξουσιάζουμε τη φύση. Απέναντι σε αυτό το δίπολο, αντιπαρατίθεται μια τρίτη μορφή λόγου που προκύπτει από τη θεωρία της επικοινωνιακής δράσης του Χάμπερμας: ο επικοινωνιακός λόγος, δηλαδή ο λόγος που στηρίζεται στην επικοινωνία και στη συναίνεση. Τέλος, επιχειρείται μια σύγκριση των δύο αυτών θεωριών όσο αφορά τον χειραφετικό προσδιορισμό τους, δηλαδή την ικανότητά τους να μας οδηγήσουν σε μια ελεύθερη κοινωνία.

This collection of chapters contributes to developing methodological concepts and more precise analytic tools to investigate and better understand contemporary strategies in political persuasion. Situated in political dis-course studies, the book brings together new theoretical angles and a col-lection of empirical studies focused on political strategies of persuasion operationalized on various public arenas of mediated political communi-cation. The case studies are situated within the wider political currents in the context of six European countries (Finland, Germany, Iceland, Portu-gal, Russia and Hungary), circulating political discourses through an inno-vative analytic framework drawing on the theoretical approach of discursive institutionalism together with the detailed analytic approaches from ethnomethodological sociology. In particular, the studies combine a focus on epistemic governance (viewing political decision-making as a game of discursive persuasion) and cultural membership categorization analysis (viewing cultural actor categories as a means to organize and regulate social orders) to build an analytic approach that focuses on the evaluative use of identifications, namely the moral casting of key actors, in the dramaturgical definition of a political situation.

Social constructionism may be defined as a perspective which believes that a great deal of hum an life exists as it does due to social and interpersonal influences (Gergen 1985). Although genetically inherited factors and social factors are at work at the same time, social constructionism does not deny the influence of genetic inheritance, but decides to concentrate on investigating the social influences on communal and individual life. The subjects that social constructionism is interested in are those to do with what anthropologists call culture, and sociologists call society: the shared social aspects of all that is psychological. There are several versions of social constructionism with different writers making different emphases. Two distinguishing marks of social constructionism include the rejection of assumptions about the nature of mind and theories of causality, and placing an emphasis on the complexity and interrelatedness of the many facets of individuals within their co...

This study conceptualizes a cultural model of parenting. It is argued that cultural models are expressed in the degree of familism, which informs socialization goals that are embodied in parenting ethnotheories. Three cultural models were differentiated a priori: independent, interdependent, and autonomous-related. Samples were recruited that were expected to represent these cultural models: German, Euro-American, and Greek middle-class women representing the independent cultural model; Cameroonian Nso and Gujarati farming women representing the interdependent cultural model; and urban Indian, urban Chinese, urban Mexican, and urban Costa Rican women representing the autonomous-related model. These a priori classifications were confirmed with data that addressed different levels of the cultural models of parenting. The authors further confirmed that socialization goals mediate between broader sociocultural orientations (familism) and parenting ethnotheories concerning beliefs about ...

This study conceptualizes a cultural model of parenting. It is argued that cultural models are expressed in the degree of familism, which informs socialization goals that are embodied in parenting ethnotheories. Three cultural models were differentiated a priori: independent, interdependent, and autonomous-related. Samples were recruited that were expected to represent these cultural models: German, Euro-American, and Greek middle-class women representing the independent cultural model; Cameroonian Nso and Gujarati farming women representing the interdependent cultural model; and urban Indian, urban Chinese, urban Mexican, and urban Costa Rican women representing the autonomous-related model. These a priori classifications were confirmed with data that addressed different levels of the cultural models of parenting. The authors further confirmed that socialization goals mediate between broader sociocultural orientations (familism) and parenting ethnotheories concerning beliefs about good parenting. The data reveal that the model of autonomous relatedness needs further theoretical and empirical refinement. Problems with empirical studies comparing participants with very different lifestyles are discussed.

Tarone goes on to propose that the following three criteria characterize a CS: (1) a learner wishes to communicate meaning X to an interlocutor; (2) the learner realizes that she does not possess linguistic or sociolinguistic structure X that she needs to communicate her message, or that this structure is not shared with the interlocutor; (3) consequently, the

This study examines the pragmatic and ideological functions of personal pronouns in Ghanaian political discourse. Specifically, it investigates how political actors strategically deploy pronouns such as I, we, you, they, and he to construct political identities, mobilize audiences, and delineate ideological boundaries within Ghana's competitive democratic environment. Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative pragmatic discourse analysis of political speech excerpts reported in major Ghanaian online news platforms, including GhanaWeb, JoyOnline, and CitiNewsroom. Drawing on an integrated analytical framework combining pragmatics, critical discourse analysis (CDA), and communication theory, the analysis examines how pronouns function as indexical and relational resources within mediated political communication. Findings: The findings reveal that personal pronouns operate as multifunctional communicative resources in Ghanaian political rhetoric. The pronoun we constructs flexible collective identities that shift between partisan and national frames, while I foregrounds leadership ethos, accountability, and moral authority. The pronoun you positions citizens as active participants in national development and democratic responsibility. In contrast, they and he function as ideological boundary markers that construct political opponents as adversaries and personalize political blame. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study contributes theoretically by conceptualizing pronouns as semiotic infrastructures that sustain political narratives and ideological positioning in African democratic discourse. Methodologically, it demonstrates the value of micropragmatic analysis for understanding mediated political speech. Practically, the study highlights how pronoun use shapes public perception and political legitimacy, suggesting the need for greater awareness of linguistic framing in democratic communication. Future research should incorporate multilingual political discourse, corpus-based approaches, and audience reception studies to deepen understanding of how pronominal strategies influence political interpretation and civic engagement.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), a traditional legume food crop indigenous to Africa, has potential as both a vegetable and grain crop in contributing to dietary diversity to support health and address malnutrition, especially for those relying heavily on wheat, maize, and rice. The expression of nutritional traits (protein content and concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn)) in cowpea leaves was evaluated over diverse agro-ecologies of South Africa and typical agronomic practices of smallholder farmers. The genotypes evaluated displayed genetic variation for all four traits. The mean values of Fe, Zn, Mn and protein content varied from 33.11 to 69.03 mg.100.g-1 ; 4.00 to 4.70 mg.100.g-1 ; and 14.40 to 19.63 mg.100.g-1 and 27.98 to 31.98%, respectively. The correlation analysis revealed significant degree of positive association between protein and Zn (r = 0.20), while negative associations were observed between Mn and protein (-0.46) and between Mn and Fe (r =-0.27). Furthermore, the expression of these important nutrient traits was influenced by the climatic conditions represented by six environments (location by year combinations) as is typical of 'quality' traits. Additionally, genotype-by-environment interaction effects were detected, suggesting that local soil properties and soil health may play a role in nutritional content in plants, perhaps particularly for legume crops that rely on symbiotic relationships with soil bacterial populations to fix nitrogen, which is crucial to protein formation. Further studies are needed to understand how to coordinate and align agronomic and soil management practices in vegetable cowpea production, especially those workable for the smallholder farmer, to realize the full genetic potential and nutritional value of improved vegetable cowpea varieties.

Inaugural speeches provide critical insights into a president's vision, ideological strategies, and evolving rhetoric. The article employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine Donald Trump's 2017 and 2025 inaugural speeches, exploring their ideological underpinnings and sociopolitical contexts. The 2017 speech highlighted themes of populism, nationalism, and economic reclamation, portraying America as a nation in crisis and positioning Trump as an outsider poised to challenge entrenched elites. In contrast, the 2025 speech reflects a transformed political narrative, emphasizing restoration, resilience, and a "golden age" under Trump's centralized leadership. This evolution parallels shifts in public sentiment, global geopolitics, and national crises, such as economic instability and cultural polarization. The article analyzes the ideological shifts, changing representations of power relations, and discursive strategies employed to maintain public support amid a fragmented sociopolitical landscape. It also explores the intersection of race, gender, and class in Trump's rhetoric, revealing how his speeches reflect broader societal transformations and challenges. The study demonstrates how Trump shifted his rhetoric from collective empowerment in 2017 to a more authoritative, personalized narrative in 2025, underpinned by symbolic language and hyperbolic appeals. This comparative analysis underscores the dynamic interplay among language, ideology, and sociopolitical dynamics in contemporary American politics. These findings contribute to understanding how political leaders leverage discourse to navigate challenges, reshape public perception, and consolidate power in a polarized democracy.

Τα κίνητρα της απόπειρας δολοφονίας τού (πιθανότατα) μελλοντικού πλανητάρχη καλύπτονται, προς το παρόν, από πυκνό μυστήριο. Θα αρχίσω από τον νεκρό επίδοξο δολοφόνο, που θα ήταν, προφανώς, ο μόνος που αν μιλούσε θα είχε αποκαλυφθεί το παρασκήνιο. Όμως, η ακαριαία εκτέλεσή του πήρε μαζί της και τα σχετικά μυστικά. Αυτή η επιβολή σιωπής στον επίδοξο δολοφόνο, δευτερόλεπτα μετά την αποτυχημένη απόπειρά του, μάλλον ως ακατανόητη φαίνεται, αφού αν μιλούσε θα γνωρίζαμε. Οπωσδήποτε, δεν πρόκειται περί ακαταλόγιστου ατόμου, αφού φέρεται να έχει λάβει βραβείο για τις μαθηματικές επιδόσεις του, ως μαθητής ακόμη, και αφού ανήκε και στο κόμμα των Ρεπουμπλικάνων. Αλλά, πέραν της καταρχήν δυσεξήγητης άμεσης εκτέλεσής του, και άλλα γεγονότα εκείνης της ημέρας προκαλούν απορία. Ανάμεσα σε άλλα διέρρευσε η πληροφορία, που δεν διαψεύστηκε, ότι η παρουσία του επίδοξου δολοφόνου, μόλις 150 μέτρα από τον τόπο ομιλίας του Trump, όχι μόνον είχε γίνει αντιληπτή πριν από την απόπειρα, αλλά και επιπλέον είχαν ειδοποιηθεί οι άνδρες της ασφάλειας, που ωστόσο, ουδόλως αντέδρασαν. Ακόμη, ο επίδοξος δολοφόνος, από ότι πάντοτε έγινε γνωστό, έριξε πάνω από το σημείο της, παρά τρίχα, δολοφονίας, δύο drones, προφανώς για να παρακολουθούν τις κινήσεις του Trump. Όμως, και αυτών η παρουσία ουδόλως ανησύχησε την ασφάλεια.

Intersections between social constructionism and personal construct psychology (PCP) are increasingly been explored. Not only are these traditions compatible, but they may require each other. For when constructs are seen not as personal cognitions in any way causing or "behind" behaviour, but configurations of thought and feeling which occur in action, then the social context of that action arises as of interest. At the same time, how ideas and cultural practices -or "discourses" -become embodied in individuals and their actions, is critical. Discourse psychology presents an opportunity to develop a coherent blending of social constructionist ideas around discourse, with PCP. This paper outlines the key features of such an attempt. An account of a discourse approach to psychology is provided, and this is then used to make connections with, and expand upon, an account of PCP that thereby becomes more fully informed by discursive social constructionism.

Intersections between social constructionism and personal construct psychology (PCP) are increasingly been explored. Not only are these traditions compatible, but they may require each other. For when constructs are seen not as personal cognitions in any way causing or "behind" behaviour, but configurations of thought and feeling which occur in action, then the social context of that action arises as of interest. At the same time, how ideas and cultural practices -or "discourses" -become embodied in individuals and their actions, is critical. Discourse psychology presents an opportunity to develop a coherent blending of social constructionist ideas around discourse, with PCP. This paper outlines the key features of such an attempt. An account of a discourse approach to psychology is provided, and this is then used to make connections with, and expand upon, an account of PCP that thereby becomes more fully informed by discursive social constructionism.

Τὸ παρὸν δοκίμιο διερευνᾶ τὴν ἔννοια τῆς ἠθικῆς βελτίωσης μέσω τῆς τεχνολογίας ὡς θρησκευτική – θεολογικὴ ἐπιταγή, ἐρειδόμενη στὶς διδασκαλίες τῆς Ἁγίας Γραφῆς, καὶ συγκεκριμένα στὸ Α΄ Πέτρου 1:16 («ἅγιοι γίνεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος εἰμί») καὶ στὴν Πρὸς Ρωμαίους 12:2 («μεταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοός»). Ἐξετάζεται ἡ σύνθετη καὶ ἀμφιλεγόμενη ἰδέα ἑνὸς ὑποθετικοῦ ‘μηχανήματος τοῦ Θεοῦ,’ τὸ ὁποῖο θὰ μποροῦσε νὰ ἀκυρώνει ἐν τῇ γενέσει τους ὁρισμένες ἠθικῶς ἀνεπιθύμητες ροπὲς καὶ νὰ περιορίζει τὶς ἀντίστοιχες ἐπιλογές. Τὸ δοκίμιο ἑστιάζει στὶς ἠθικὲς προεκτάσεις μιᾶς τέτοιας ἐξωτερικῆς παρέμβασης στὴν διαμόρφωση τῆς ἠθικῆς συμπεριφορᾶς, ἰδίως ὡς πρὸς τὸ ἐνδεχόμενο τοῦ περιορισμοῦ τῆς ἐλευθερίας τοῦ ἠθικοῦ προσώπου. Ἐξετάζεται τὸ ἐρώτημα κατὰ πόσον τέτοιες τεχνολογικὲς παρεμβάσεις θὰ μποροῦσαν νὰ θεωρηθοῦν ἠθικὰ ἐπιτρεπτές, στὴν περίπτωση ποὺ τὰ ἠθικὰ πρόσωπα ἐπέλεγαν ἐλεύθερα νὰ περιορίσουν ὁρισμένες πτυχὲς τῆς αὐτονομίας τους, προκειμένου νὰ ἀνταποκριθοῦν στὴν θεία ἐπιταγὴ τῆς ἐπιδίωξης τῆς ἁγιότητας διὰ τῆς μεγιστοποίησης τῆς αὐτονομίας τους κατὰ τὴν καντιανὴ νοηματοδότηση τοῦ ὅρου, ἤτοι τῆς ἀποδέσμευσής τους ἀπὸ τὴν φυσικὴ ἑτερονομία στὴν ὁποία ὑπόκειται ἡ ἀνθρώπινη κατάσταση.

Λόγου του Δημιουργού Ο Δωδεκάλογος του Γύφτου, ο Δελφικός Λόγος, ο Ερωτικός Λόγος και ένας Διάλογος με τον Gérard de Nerval * ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΤΡΙΩΝ ΠΟΙΗΤΙΚΩΝ ΕΡΓΩΝ ΠΟΤ ΑΥΤΟΧΑΡΑΚΤΗΡΙΖΟΝΤΑΙ «ΛΟγοι» είναι ένα φαινόμενο που προσιδιάζει στην ελληνική ποίηση του πρώ του τρίτου του 2θού αιώνα. Ο Δωδεκάλογος τον Γύφτου (1907) του Παλαμά, ο Δελφικός Λόγος (1927) του Σικελιανού και ο Ερωτικός Λόγος (ΐ93°) του Σεφέρη θέτουν δύο παράλληλα προβλήματα: τι ση μασία προσδίδει στο Λόγο κάθε ποίημα και πώς συνδέονται οι Λόγοι των τριών ποιημάτων. Η εξέταση των προβλημάτων αυτών φωτίζει πιθανόν ορισμένους από τους προσανατολισμούς και τις αναζητήσεις της ελληνικής ποίησης από την ακμή της Γενιάς του ι88ο ώς την εμφάνιση της Γενιάς του 1930• ι. Ο Λόγος στον Δωδεκάλογο τον Γύφτου «Η Ποίηση [είναι] το υπέρτατο λουλούδι του Λόγου», δηλώνει ο Παλαμάς ο στον πρόλογο του Δωδεκαλόγον, 1 όπου αιτιολογεί το χωρισμό του έργου του σε «λόγους» ως εξής: «όχι τόσο για να ξαναφέρω τη συνήθεια κάποιων ξεχασμένων ποιητών των βυζαντινών καιρών, ούτε για να δείξω κάποια εξωδ τερική συγγένεια με τα λόγια τα ρητορικά, όσο για να βάλω το έργο μου κάτου από τον ίσκιο του Λόγου του δημιουργού». 2 Αν αυτό ισχύει για κάθε ενότητα του ποιήματος, ο συνολικός τίτλος, Ο Δωδεκάλογος τον Γνφτον, δείχνει να αποτελεί κάτι περισσότερο από το άθροισμα των δώδεκα λόγων, καθώς κυρώνει την ταύτιση του συγκεκριμένου ποιήματος με το Λόγο, ενώ Για όλες τις περί ων ο λόγος συζητήσεις, ευχαριστώ πολύ την Rosemary Bancroft-Marcus, την Sarah Ekdawi, την Pat Fann και τον Peter Mackridge. ΚΑΤΩ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ ΙΣΚΙΟ ΤΟΥ ΑΟΓΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΔΗΜΙΟΥΡΓΟΥ συγχρόνως παραπέμπει μορφικά στον θεόπνευστο Δεκάλογο του Μωυσέως. Ορισμός, ωστόσο, του Λόγου δεν δίδεται στον Πρόλογο, η σύσταση, επομέ νως, του Λόγου μπορεί να προκύψει μόνο από την εξερεύνηση της δομής του έργου. Ο Αιμίλιος Χουρμούζιος αρνείται την ενότητα του Δωδεκαλόγον και δια βάζει το ποίημα ως «δώδεκα λυρικές κραυγές», προτείνει όμως, με την εξαί ρεση ορισμένων «αυτόνομων» λόγων, την ένταξη των λόγων σε στάδια μιας πορείας από τη δοκιμασία και την άρνηση (Λόγοι Β'-Ε'• ο πρώτος λόγος είναι το προοίμιο), στη σκιαγραφία μιας νέας σύνθεσης (Λόγοι ΣΤ'-Η') και από εκεί στην ανοικοδόμηση (Λόγοι Θ'-IB'). 3 Σύμφωνα με τον Bo-Lennart Eklund η κατάταξη αυτή στηρίζεται στην ιδέα της «δημιουργικής καταστρο φής», η οποία, παράλληλα με άλλες νιτσεϊκές ιδέες, διατρέχει τον Δωδεκά λογο.* Ο ίδιος ο Eklund επιχειρεί μια πιο γενική κατάταξη, βασισμένη στο δυϊσμό του Παλαμά: οι Λόγοι Α'-Η' αφορούν τον ποιητή και την πραγματι κότητα, ενώ οι Λόγοι Θ'-IB', τον ποιητή και έναν ιδεατό-ιδανικό κόσμο. 5 Τόσο στην ανάγνωση του Χουρμούζιου όσο και στου Eklund, ο Λόγος Θ'(«Το Βιολί») τοποθετείται σε μια διαχωριστική γραμμή• ο Eklund τον αποκαλεί «περιπέτεια» του ποιήματος. Με τον έβδομο λόγο έχει ολοκληρωθεί η απόρριψη αξιών από τον Γύφτο και η απόρριψη του Γύφτου από τους δικούς του ή από την πραγματικότητα (π.χ. Λόγος ΣΤ'). Στον όγδοο λόγο ο Προ φήτης εκφράζει την πλήρη διάσταση του ποιητή με την πραγματικότητα («Κι ανατρίχιασε ο Προφήτης»), καθώς και της ποιητικής φωνής με τις φωνές που απαρτίζουν και δημιουργούν την πραγματικότητα (ο Ρήγας, οι Πράσινοι κι οι Βένετοι). Από τη σκοπιά της σχέσης ποιητή-πραγματικότητας έχει έτσι ολοκληρωθεί το κατρακύλημα «στου Κακού τη σκάλα», και η προφητεία «Και ^ θ' ακούσης τη φωνή του λυτρωτή» (στ. 4°°6) εκπληρώνεται ίσως στον επό-g; μενο λόγο, όταν ο Γύφτος βρίσκει τη μουσική του φωνή. Ο Κ. Τσάτσος σχο-^ λιάζει τους κρίσιμους στίχους του ένατου λόγου, «η έγνοια, η γνώμη, ο λογι-g σμός, / κόσμος νεκρός» (στ. 405) ως εξής: «Ο δημιουργός ζητάει κάτι πε-* ρισσότερο, όχι τη γνώμη, όχι το λογισμό, όχι τη λογική, αλλά το λόγο, | που μέσα του κλείνει και του ωραίου τη λαχτάρα και τα ρίγη του θρησκευτι-^ κού, το λόγο που αναποδογυρίζει τη στενή λογική, την υποβιβάζει σ' ένα ειδιχ κό εργαλείο τού νου για όταν το χρειαστεί, το λόγο που κυβερνάει όλες τις άρ-Ei ρητές, τις λογικά ασύλληπτες δυνάμεις, που ορίζουν τη ζωή της ψυχής και του β πνεύματος. Και ο λόγος αυτός ο πλατύς σημαίνει και τη μουσική, το πιο άυλο, το πιο άλογο, το πιο άμεσο φανέρωμα του». 7 Η ταύτιση του Λόγου με τη μουσική («κι ο λόγος που θαματουργεί / κι ο λόγος είναι η μουσική!», στ.