Noticing, monitoring and observing

Interactional grounds for joint and emergent seeing in UN military observer training

Bibliographic Data

ID3224176
AuthorsPentti Haddington (0000-0003-4378-4450, University of Oulu, corresponding author), Antti Kamunen (0000-0002-0202-6170, University of Oulu), Iira Rautiainen (0000-0001-5614-7771, University of Oulu)
Year2022
Volume200
Pages119-138
Publication date2022-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Pragmatics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0378-2166 • E-ISSN: 1879-1387
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.pragma.2022.06.005
OpenAlexW4295135829
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited26

UN military observers patrol crisis areas in small teams. Their task is to determine whether seen military activity constitutes a violation to ceasefire agreements. Failing to see or establish a shared understanding of the activity can be damaging to the mission or put the teams in danger. We use ethnomethodology and conversation analysis to analyse how military observers verbalise and categorise military activity in 'noticings'. The data are video recordings collected in car patrols in a training course. The analysis is based on fifty-three episodes of the patrols encountering unexpected military activity. The analysis focuses on the design features of and categorisation practices in noticing actions. It also shows how the noticings invite seeing the noticed feature from a particular perspective and in this way build a context for the joint and emergent activities of 'monitoring' and 'observing'. The findings showcase how noticing actions and monitoring and observing are accomplished in interaction. They highlight the role of talk and embodiment as part of military observers' professional competence and for maintaining situational awareness. The findings are relevant for and can be integrated in UN military observer training

Competence (human resources · Conversation · Conversation analysis · Ethnomethodology · Perspective (graphical · Situation awareness · Situational ethics · Sociology · Training (meteorology · Applied Psychology · Communication · Computer Science · Engineering · Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Psychology · Social Psychology · Artificial Intelligence