Communication using ventriloquism

When two people interact, their relationship cannot simply be reduced to visible and individual aspects. When two diplomats negotiate, they represent their countries, putting forward propositions and stating their claims. In the same way, ventriloquists breathe life into objects which could be regarded as lifeless. Similarly, diplomats are guided by principles, methods, and entities which they represent : they are like puppets of invisible ventriloquists. One can discuss subjects in conversation by applying rules, emphasising a principle, and pretending to represent a group. Using ventriloquism as a metaphor, François Cooren analyses interactions in organisations in order to throw light on the processes which are at work, the ways in which one can make people enthusiastic, and how communication can be personified. Cooren, who is a member of the Montreal School which is famous in the English-speaking world for its research on organisational communication, explains this theory and illustrates it with examples.