Speaking of home truth: (Re)productions of dyadic-containment in non-monogamous relationships

Finn, Mark; Malson, Helen

Abstract

This paper is a critical exploration of the discursive and socio-historical practice of 'dyadic-containment' as a principle index for how we know, experience, and authenticate romantic relationships. Making intelligible an 'authentic' relationship as something which is fixed, enclosed and exclusive, the pervasive principle of dyadic-containment has considerable implications for what it means to live out 'authentic' but ostensibly liberated relationships. Using post-structuralist discourse analysis to explore ways in which people can account for their consensual non-monogamous relationships (same and cross-sex, dyadic and non-dyadic), we critique the liberal-humanist framework from which such relationships can be played out. In that dyadic-containment as an aspect of an ontology of interiorized and contained 'realness' can be viewed as serving to characterize and authorize monogamous relationships (as we illustrate), practices of consensual non-monogamy that reproduce dyadic-containment as an organizing and authenticating principle are problematized. Limits to understandings and practices of some 'alternative' romantic relationships are therefore expounded and consideration is given to how relational difference might be otherwise premised. © 2008 The British Psychological Society.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2008
• Journal: British Journal of Social Psychology
• Print ISSN: 0144-6665
• Electronic ISSN: 2044-8309
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 47
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 519-533
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1348/014466607X248921
• Keywords: non-monogamous relationships
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1009557
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/014466607X248921