Conference Agenda

Dialogical Self Theory draws from Bakhtin’s (1984) concept of dialogism, positioning the self as composed of multiple I-positions engaged in ongoing dialogue (Hermans & Hermans-Konopka, 2010). Within this dialogic approach, Bakhtin’s notion of polyphony, developed in relation to the novel, offers a useful metaphor for understanding how relatively independent I-positions can coexist without being finalized by a single authoritative perspective. However, accessing how individuals experience this polyphonic complexity presents methodological challenges. When asked directly about identity or relationships, participants often provide verbally coherent responses in which one position becomes dominant, potentially masking the multiplicity that is subjectively experienced.

This workshop demonstrates how arts-based approaches can create conditions in which multiple I-positions become expressible on equal footing during explanation of visual compositions, allowing contradictory voices to be articulated without premature subordination of one position to another (Leavy, 2015).

We present case studies in which high school students and their parents each created collages exploring their parent-child relationships. Through explaining their visual compositions, multiple relatively independent positions emerged without participants being explicitly prompted toward synthesis or resolution. By acknowledging these coexisting voices rather than imposing a singular, integrated narrative, participants demonstrated expanded dialogical awareness of themselves and their relationships (Hermans, 2001). These examples suggest that non-verbal creation followed by verbal explanation can provide access to polyphonic experience that direct verbal inquiry may flatten into a more monologic response.

Workshop participants engage in guided visual mapping addressing questions such as, “What feels complex in your life right now?” Through partner-based explanation of their compositions, participants experience how multiple I-positions can emerge in dialogue without requiring final resolution. Structured reflection supports identification of which I-positions spoke and consideration of how recognizing polyphonic self-experience, in which no single I-position is treated as fully authoritative, can support dialogical understanding across clinical, educational, research, and community contexts.