ABSTRACT

This book of original case studies allows students in interpersonal and relational communication classes to engage with creative stories about lives and relationships, helping them understand how communication processes work. Written in literary format—essays, short stories, scripts, photographs, poetry—these 27 brief case studies by communication researchers allow students to see the workings of relationship management, friendship, disclosure, gender, family interaction, and other key topics in relational communication. Faulkner’s introduction to each section provides the basic pedagogical content to give context and meaning to the cases that follow. Questions for discussion, activities, and additional resources end each case to help guide the student.

chapter 1|4 pages

What Is a Relationship?

chapter |7 pages

Case 1: Body of Work

chapter |12 pages

Case 2: The Person in the Moon

chapter 2|6 pages

Relationship Metaphors and Forms

chapter |6 pages

Case 6: Twenty-One-Year-Old Virgin

chapter |6 pages

Case 7: BIRTHing ARTiculations

chapter 4|4 pages

Friendship

chapter 5|4 pages

Family Communication

chapter 6|4 pages

The Social Self

chapter |7 pages

Case 17: Thank You for Not Asking

chapter 7|6 pages

Gender and Culture

chapter |2 pages

Case 22: Comfort

chapter |3 pages

Case 23: Tell Me About Love

chapter |5 pages

Case 24: The Onion

chapter |7 pages

Case 27: Institutionalized

chapter |8 pages

Index

chapter |6 pages

About the Authors