conflict & communication online, Vol. 10, No. 1, 2011
www.cco.regener-online.de
ISSN 1618-0747

Lynda S. Brown
It is not just about you: A dialogic approach to forgiveness

How do I forgive thee? Let me count the ways. For the most part, scholars started examining the phenomenon of forgiveness about a decade ago, and are divided in their approaches-forgiveness as an individual response, or an interpersonal process; further, there is limited investigation to how people can forgive (Waldron & Kelley, 2005, 2008). This article, conceptually informed by Martin Buber's dialogic theory, orients forgiveness as an interpersonal process which shifts the focus of attention for both the forgiver and forgiven; and maintains that the potential for making strides towards relationship repair is predicated on the willingness of both people to be open to dialogging, and being authentic and honest in their communications.

On the author:
Lynda S. Brown is Assistant Professor of Communication at Texas A&M International University. She has a doctorate in rhetoric and communication studies from Duquesne University; and her research interests are interpersonal communication and conflict, rhetorical implications of communication and culture, and communication ethics.

Address: Texas A&M International University, 5201 University Boulevard, Laredo, TX. 7804.
eMail: lbrown@tamiu.edu