The Principle Theory for the Dissertation: (Relevance Theory)

CognitiveEnvironment

COMMUNICATOR

Intent MeaningEvidence

Context

Context

Cross-cultural communication: the communicator must adapt/convert to a new context in order to communicate effectively.

Cognitive Environment

RECEIVER

Context

ContextContextContext

Conversion

THE THEORY

Cross-cultural communication: the communicator must adapt/convert to a new context in order to communicate effectively.

THE MISSIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE THEORY

In order to adapt/convert, the communicator must FIRST understand: BOTH the receptor’s cognitive environment

AND his/her own cognitive environment.But just how does one go about doing this?

MY PROPOSAL

To discover cognitive environments through music-ritual (EM theory).

EM theory proposes that deep-level beliefs produce the music-ritual. I propose using the reverse process.

Assume: “cognitive environment” = “deep-level beliefs”

The following is a diagram of my proposal:(My dissertation has only reached step #3.)

Music-Ritual

New forms

Beliefs BeliefsExtract

Music-Ritual

New forms

Beliefs Beliefs

Evangelicals Rural folk

1

2

3

4

5

1. Use music-ritual to discover one’s own beliefs.2. Extract these from one’s cultural context.3. Participate with rural folk in their music-ritual to discover, with them, their beliefs.4. Dialogue with them about their beliefs and one’s own.5. Create new forms of music-ritual.

MY QUESTION IS:

Do I put this proposal in my dissertation BEFORE or AFTER discussing my research?

In other words:

Is this proposal “a new theory” or rather “a theoretical construct” I put together in order to guide my research? (even though I developed it AFTER doing my research)