Some of life’s most joyful, fulfilling yet also painful and challenging moments occur within the context of close relationships among lovers, friends, and family members.  Some of the ethical interpersonal dilemmas we navigate on a daily basis surround things jealousy, deception, forgiveness, infidelity, hurt, envy, revenge, codependence, misunderstandings.  Ethical dilemmas could also encompass deviating from cultural assumptions (i.e. being single, being childfree, being a non-drinker). For many years, communication scholars failed to focus on the more challenging aspects of communication, but in doing so, overlooked opportunities to create solutions and give voices to challenges we face in our relationships. Some types of dilemmas communication also have a bright side– they help people better understand themselves and their relationships so they can renegotiate rules and improve their relationships. 

Your paper should focus on explaining one interpersonal dilemma, offering practical advice based on the topic you discussed. These papers should be written in a style that is highly readable, and would therefore be appropriate for a general audience. Articles such as this routinely appear in outlets such as Communication Currents, Psychology Today, and The Psychologist (which you can find with a quick google search). This type of work is important because it allows the general public to access helpful information about relationships. 

For an example of the type of paper I am looking for, see a couple of these examples: 

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

For this assignment, you will choose an ethical dilemma you are interested in.  When writing your article, please follow the following guidelines: 

• The text of the paper (not including the title page or references) should be 5-6 pages long. All papers should be double-spaced with 1 inch-margins all around. For consistency in length across papers, please use Times Roman 12-pt. font. 

• Summarize the literature on your topic in a “user-friendly” manner so that a general audience can understand the research and put it to practical use. This paper is MORE than just a literature review; you need to include practical applications or advice based on the literature you summarize. The content of your paper should be based on scholarly research rather than personal opinion.