Papéis de atividade de mediadoras em uma audiência no PROCON

Abstract

This study aims at investigating activity roles played by the mediators in one hearing at PROCON in a town of Minas Gerais. Our methodology is based on qualitative and interpretative research (DENZIN&LINCOLN, 2006) and our data was transcribed accordingly to the conversation analysts’ transcription symbols (LODER, 2005). Even though the role concept had been conceived at first in a normative manner, being related to generalized expectations, rights and obligations, modern studies, mainly those connected to Applied Linguistics of Professions, aim at distinguishing the variation between professional practices and explaining these differences in accordance with discursive evidence. For Goffman (1961), there are dormant roles in a role-set, which can emerge at any moment of an interaction. Sarangi (2010) defines activity roles as part of a role-set in professional activities and as dependent on the activity type the person is engaged in and on other people. This author also deals with the notion of discursive hybridism (SARANGI, 2011).Bearing these discussions in mind, this study aims at contributing to the understanding of the use of activity roles in institutional contexts. In these settings, e.g. conciliation hearings at PROCON, the activities and tasks to be performed by mediators, who coordinate the encounters, are oriented to the accomplishment of the institutional mandate (MAYNARD, 1984).Results of the talk under scrutiny have shown that the roles performed by the mediators enclose roles oriented towards the achievement of institutional goals and tasks and roles oriented towards controlling the interaction, more specifically to keep the hearing ongoing. Regarding the accomplishment of the institutional mandate (MAYNARD, 1984), the roles played by the professionals are named mediator, expert, defender of the complainant and counselor. These roles deal with the accomplishment of tasks that are related to the main goal of the encounter: reaching the agreement. With regard to the control of the interaction, the mediators perform the orchestrator role (KOLB, 1985; LADEIRA, 2005; SILVEIRA e GAGO, 2005) and the manager role. The professionals shift dynamically from one role to another, besides being able of performing hybrid roles (mediator/orchestrator and mediator/manager) to deal with the interactional demands of the hearing.