Friendship presents us with moments of significant choice in shaping our selves, other persons, relationships, and communities. But: What is the reach of friendship? How far can its practices extend in addressing significant similarities and differences arising between persons? How do close friends versus broader social involvements and participation serve well-being, identity formation, and life satisfaction? What happens to friendships in coursing across public and private circumstances? How might personal and civic friendships serve individual and community well-being? Just how useful and realistic are the ideals and activities of friendship for serving the well-lived life of individuals, groups, and larger collectivities?In Living Friendship, noted teacher, scholar, and writer Bill Rawlins explores these and other questions. Using a variety of examples and cases from literature, film, and everyday life, the book examines what conceptions of personal and civic friendship teach us about living responsibly with similarities and differences, and living in ways that facilitate both personal autonomy and social connection. Throughout the book the capacities of communicating in a spirit of friendship for co-creating and making choices with others are emphasized.

1. Introduction: Living Friendship
2. Making Choices as Communicators: Similarity, Difference, Individuation, and Participation Perceiving Similarities and Differences Negotiating Contexts, Making Choices, and Creating Meanings Constructing Similarities and Differences of Self and Others Achieving and (Mis)Perceiving Identities through the Dialectic of Individuation and Participation Categories and Identity Construction Modes of the Dialectic of Individuation and Participation
3. Communicating Friendship through Narrative and Dialogue Storytelling between Friends Practicing Dialogue between Friends Narratives, Dialogues, and Friendships Interweaving Narrative and Dialogue in Discourses of Friendship Conclusion
4. Making Meanings with Friends: Two Women's Storytelling and Dialogue Beginning the Conversation and the Story of Karen and Chris's Friendship Narrating Diverging Life Paths Sharing Stories of Divorces and Traveling Together Side Two of the Tape - Conversing about Pets and Policies Performing a Dialogue of Narratives about Conjunctive Freedoms Interweaving Narratives and Dialogue in the Talk of Two Friends
5. Talking with College Students about Frontiers and Frustrations of Cross-Sex Friendships Debating Cross-Sex Friendship Addressing Students' Positions on Cross-Sex Friendship Conclusion
6. Pursuing Cross-Race Friendships in Personal, Socio-Cultural, and Historical Contexts Constrained Cross-Race Friendship Blacks and Whites Engaging in Friendships: Asymmetrical Challenges and Edifying Practices Recognizing Meaningfully Whole Persons and Contingent Identities Accomplishing Cross-Race Friendship Making Choices, Learning Lessons, and Serving Social Becoming through Cross-Race Friendships
7. Embracing Ethical and Political Potentials of Friendships Ethical Practices of Friendships Political Practices of Friendships Friendships and Social Change Limitations of Political Friendships
8. The Compass of Friendship