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Relational dialectics is an interpretive theory of meaning-making in familial and non-kin relationships (→  Meaning ). Formally articulated in 1996 by Leslie Baxter and Barbara Montgomery, the theory is grounded in the philosophy of dialogism articulated by Russian language philosopher →  Mikhail Bakhtin (→  Dialogic Perspectives ). It relies primarily on qualitative methods with a goal of rendering a rich understanding of the meaning-making process (→  Qualitative Methodology ). Unlike many interpretive theories, however, relational dialectics theory (RDT) challenges interpretivism's focus on consensual, unified meanings, emphasizing instead the fragmented and contested nature of meaning-making. Further, RDT moves from subjective sense-making of individuals to focus on →  Discourse . The theory can be summarized in three core propositions . The first proposition is that meanings emerge from the struggle of different, often opposing, discourses (→  Text and Intertextuality ). Following Bakhtin, all of meaning-making can be understood metaphorically and literally as a dialogue. Everyday dialogue presupposes difference in the unique perspectives of the interlocutors. To Bakhtin, all meaning-making can be understood as a dialogue – the interplay of different, ideologically freighted discourses. Bakhtin's lifelong intellectual project was critical of monologues of all kinds – ... log in or subscribe to read full text