This book honors the life and work of the late W. Barnett Pearce, a leading theorist in the communication field. The book is divided into four sections.  The first section will lead with an essay by Barnett Pearce.  This will be followed by sections on (1) practical theory, (2) dialogue, and (3) social transformation.  In the broadest sense, these are probably the three general themes found in the work of Pearce and his colleagues. In another sense, these categories also identify three important dimensions of Pearce’s major contribution, the theory of the Coordinated Management of Meaning.

Contributions by: Catherine Creede, Vernon E. Cronen, Robyn Penman, John Shotter, J. Kevin Barge, Victoria Chen, Stephen W. Littlejohn, Linda L. Putnam, Stanley Deetz, John Chetro-Szives, John W. Lannamann, Christine Oliver, John Parrish-Sprowl, Kimberly Pearce