Dialogues of Diversity in Therapy: A Virtual Symposium Carmel Flaskas*, Brian Stagoll**, Glenn Larner***, Bruce Hart { , Robert Doan {{ , Kathy Weingarten {{{ , Wolfgang Loth { , Mark Hayward {{ and David Pocock {{{ Therapists from Australia, New Zealand, the US, Germany and the UK discuss the relationship between systemic and narrative therapy. INTRODUCTION Many in the family therapy fold, while open to post- modern social constructionist and narrative approaches, respect and value certain traditions of systemic thought. By contrast, narrative therapists see themselves as moving beyond the systemic metaphor, though some are in- creasingly aware of the polarising character of this stance. This symposium was conceived as an attempt to open a dialogue between narrative and family therapy, explor- ing the common ground while respecting the points of difference. Is critical debate about theoretical difference possible without denigration, personal alienation and the use of straw-man arguments which distort and simplify the com- plexity of the other's position? The challenge is to be gracious, to offer, in a spirit of radical generosity, discussion and dialogue where none may be forthcoming otherwise. What this requires is a willingness to hear and respect the other's point of view while engaged in critical inquiry. Glenn Larner Symposium Convener Narrative and Family Therapy: On Passion, Pragmatism and Politics Carmel Flaskas* SETTING THE SCENE I have found myself wondering whether this forum would be likely to be happening in a major family therapy journal in the UK or North America. Of course I don't know! But I suspect not, and wonder if it reflects some things peculiar to the Australian and New Zealand scene. `Narrative therapy' has become synonymous here with the ideas developed by Michael White and the Dulwich Centre, and the related work of David Epston and the New Zealand narrative groups. Michael's ideas in par- ticular have become internationally respected. Yet the influence of narrative ideas was felt in psycho- analysis and social psychology quite some time before it emerged in our neck of the woods. 1 And narrative and * Senior Lecturer School of Social Work, University of NSW Sydney 2052; c.flaskas@unsw.edu.au ***Immediate Past President, ANZJFT Inc. Board, psychiatrist and family therapist in private practice, 579A Brunswick Street, Fitzroy,Victoria 3068; bstagoll@vicnet.net.au ***Senior Clinical Psychologist, 5/41 Oceanview Road, Harboard 2096; glarner@intercoast.com.au { Associate Editor and Website Editor, ANZJFT ; bhart@ihug. com.au {{ Professor, University of Central Oklahoma, Department of Psychology, 100 N. University, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034; RDoan@ucok.edu {{{ Co-founder and faculty of the Program in Narrative Thera- pies at The Family Institute of Cambridge; assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School; KWeing @aol.com { Child and Family Counseling Service in Leichlingen/Germany and in private practice; Co-editor of Systhema (Weinheim Family Therapy Institute/Germany), Steinbrecher Weg 52, D-51427 Bergish Gladbach, Germany; kopiloth@t-online.de {{ Principal Family Therapist, Child and Family Consultation Service, Mount Gould Hospital, Plymouth, UK; Mark@hay ward.flyer.co.uk. {{{ Principal FamilyTherapist at the Child and Family Consulta- tion Service in Swindon, UK; Internet Forum Moderator for the Editorial Board of the Journal of FamilyTherapy; poey@poey. demon.co.uk. 121 A.N.Z.J. Fam. Ther., 2000, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp 121±143