Counter-rhetoric and sources of enduring conflict in contested organizational fields: A case study of mental health professionals

Citation

Fincham R & Forbes T (2019) Counter-rhetoric and sources of enduring conflict in contested organizational fields: A case study of mental health professionals. Journal of Professions and Organization, 6 (3), pp. 342-356. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpo/joz013

Abstract
As a means by which actors justify beliefs and practices, rhetoric has a key institutional role. In contested settings, where multiple groups and the logics associated with them interact, research has highlighted rhetorical strategies that exploit rival systems. The account we develop expands on these ideas and suggests they embrace forms of counter-rhetoric, or arguments that delegitimize a rival’s logic and refine and reframe others’ values. We use these categories to explore the case of a local mental health service, an area of health policy known for problematic diagnosis and treatment. Here groups of medical and social-care providers were required to work together in a system of intensive inter-professional relations and clashing logics. Our analysis focuses on this interaction, exploring the language-based nature of logics and sources of conflict between logics that are asserted in counter-rhetorical forms.

Keywords
Rhetoric; counter-rhetoric; institutional logics; mental health; health and social care integration

Journal
Journal of Professions and Organization: Volume 6, Issue 3

People

Professor Robin Fincham

Emeritus Professor, Management, Work and Organisation