Abstract (eng)
This paper deals with the communication theory of the Philosopher Sören Kierkegaard, in particular with the discourse about his theory and possible links to Communication Science. Based on a culturalistic Discourse Analysis and the method of Michel Foucault, this text tries to answer the questions, if and on which basis Kierkegaard can be declared as Communication Theore-tist, if this analysis shows certain aspects of the structure of the discourse and if the discourse is interconnected with Communication Science. Following the definition of certain important terms of Kierkegaard, as “indirect communica-tion” and “dialectic of communication”, the discourse starting from the year 1990 is analyzed. The analysis shows different interpretations of the term “indi-rect communication”, which could be identified as the central theme – although the adoption of Kierkegaard’s ideas has evolved into very specific issues. Based on a variety of argumentative and analytic strategies, different authors try to expand the theory of “indirect communication” into the areas of ethic, rhetoric, pedagogy and communication-analysis-based socio-critique. It is shown that the discourse is pursued in different academic disciplines, but not in Communication Science, although Kierkegaard is not totally unnoticed. With the exception of one text, the method of “indirect communication” is not inter-preted in a way which is suitable to fit in existing concepts of “existential” or empathic communication. But on the other hand, the possibility of an interest-ing input for a practice-oriented (media-)pedagogic concept has been noticed.