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Politeness as collective facework: the case of Swedish Jante Law
Politeness rituals can be understood as socially facilitative, performative speech acts that operate at the meso-level of Goffmanian interaction order, translating macro-level cultural scripts into micro-social action. Whereas previous research has focused on individual face-saving, this article examines the implications of politeness for the group face of speech communities, demonstrating the concept of collective facework. Taking Swedish culture as an example, I observe a tension between two sets of rules: the Nordic code of Jante Law, which frowns upon boasting and encourages humility, and the values of honesty and conversational directness. This is dramaturgically resolved through polite forms of talk, such as strategic reticence and sanctioning verbal domination. These interaction rituals perform collective facework to address negative and positive collective face needs.
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Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Studies in Symbolic InteractionISSN
0163-2396Publisher
EmeraldPublisher URL
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56Page range
189-209Department affiliated with
- Sociology and Criminology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-01-19First Open Access (FOA) Date
2018-01-19First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-01-19Usage metrics
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