This book opens the topic of conversational, interpersonal, and collective silences to qualitative researchers who have traditionally focused on what people say and do. It will help students and researchers study the unsaid and analyse how it is communicated and functions psychologically in relationships, academia, and society. 'This excellent book describes and explains the many functions and effects of silence in communication. The authors interpret the specificities of silence in conversation, which have frequently been neglected. This insightful volume constitutes a must-read for scholars and graduate students alike in the social sciences and beyond.' Ruth Wodak, Chair of Discourse Studies, Lancaster University