How one acts during "critical moments" can change the world. The tools and concepts of CMM - Coordinated Management of Meaning - show us how to discern and to act wisely during the moments that shape our future. This text presents the most accessible introduction to CMM, one of the groundbreaking theories of speech communication." "In an age in which what happens anywhere affects us everywhere, and in which we must become accustomed to interacting with people whose customs are different than our own, more sophisticated patterns of communication are demanded. This book provides the concepts and models to help us understand these. By analyzing examples from everyday life - everything from intimate family conversations to speeches by heads of state - the author demonstrates how the tools of CMM enable special insights into our social interactions. Written in an informal yet intellectually stimulating way, Making Social Worlds opens up the theory of CMM to students, scholars, and practitioners