Routledge International Handbook of Positioning Theory

This handbook is the first of its kind to explore Positioning Theory. Taking inspiration from the groundwork set by Rom Harré and collaborators such as Bronwyn Davies, Fathali Moghaddam, Luk Van Langenhove, and others the book explores the emergence, historical context, and disciplinary applications of Positioning Theory and its basic precepts as a social psychological theory.

This volume encompasses over 20 chapters across four sections, assimilating cross-disciplinary insights that try to understand the theoretical underpinnings, methodological applications, and contemporary relevance of Positioning Theory. Part 1 explores the movement of scholarly figures and their numerous works on the subject. It discusses the foundational origins and the historical contexts of the existing theories on positioning and new directions for scholarship. Part 2 examines the methodological and narrative investigations used for data analysis in positioning research, navigating through the epistemological orientations and theoretical landscapes of Positioning Theory. Part 3 explores numerous applications across disciplines to consider the reach and influence of positioning within and across multiple disciplines. Lastly, the authors contemplate the future directions for Positioning Theory.

Featuring researchers from leading research institutions from across the globe, the book is important reading for scholars interested in positioning and Positioning Theory. We recommend this handbook for graduate-level courses in social psychology, communication, discourse studies and related disciplines.

Mary B. McVee is a professor of literacy education, and director of the Center for Literacy & Reading Instruction (CLaRI) at the University at Buffalo, USA. Her research explores racialized positioning in teacher narratives. Her current research with teachers and multilingual children explores positioning and multimodal interactions in the context of engineering design.

Luk Van Langenhove is Emeritus professor at the Brussels School of Governance of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium and honorary professorial fellow at the University of Warwick, UK. He has published widely on regional integration, social sciences theory, positioning theory, and psychology.

Cynthia H. Brock is a professor at the University of Wyoming where she holds the Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowed Chair in Literacy Education. Brock’s scholarly research agenda centers on studying the literacy learning opportunities of elementary children from diverse backgrounds and the pre- and in-service teachers with whom they work.

Bo Allesøe Christensen is an associate professor and co-director of the Center for Cultural Psychology at Aalborg University, Denmark. His research interest explores and develops the theoretical and methodological background of positioning theory within 20th century linguistic philosophy and microsociology.