Abstract
Relational dialectics theory (RDT) is a dialogic theory of meaning‐making. The primary premise of RDT is that meanings are made in the competition of discourses or what Baxter refers to as “systems of meaning.” Fundamental to RDT is the recognition that not all discourses are afforded the same levels of power. Whereas some discourses are dominant in a culture (i.e., centripetal), others are more marginalized (i.e., centrifugal). In this entry, we (i) provide a history of the theory, (ii) define the key premise and key concepts of RDT, (iii) highlight the process of meaning‐making by introducing RDT's corresponding method, contrapuntal analysis, (iv) discuss some applications of RDT in health contexts, and (v) provide a case study to illustrate the theory in action.
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