Knowledge and knowing in cancer research: an organizational communication perspective

Within the framework of Organizational Communication, there is an increasing interest in knowledge and knowing that will not soon fade (Kuhn 2014). In line with this interest, the present research used the method of Discursive Psychology (Potter & Wetherell, 1987), aiming at studying trivialization in an organizational context, as a strategy to know about knowing. The cancer research lab was targeted for our case study. Starting from Latour & Woolgar (1979)'s description of how scientific facts are "sociologically (rather than logically) determined", our research used Garfinkel (1967)’s breaching experiment as a technique to open black-boxed scientific facts and examine the trivializations they encompass. Through participant observation, we ultimately singled out 3 cases of trivialization. Semi structured interviews and discourse analysis were conducted to understand the dynamic of trivialization around the 3 cases. The study was then able to describe how such scientific matters happen to be trivialized, at three levels: a) (inter)organizationally; b) individually and c) in group. The research was able to outline the consequences of the studied trivializations on cancer research. It also detailed the outcomes of the detrivialization triggered by our research. Finally, the research suggested that studying (de)trivialization can be an effective strategy to know about knowing.