»They gave me real funny looks THEre tOo«

Abstract

Self-help groups offer contexts for individuals with similar experiences of social exclusion to find each other. Members work to understand these experiences of individual deviation from societal norms by drawing on concepts of morality. Moralising narratives are used to discuss how this deviation is experienced and how it is addressed by others, but also how other individuals are perceived as deviating. Applying conversation analytical methods to transcribed audio recordings of a session of a self-help group for people with obesity, this article shows that the norms drawn on in this form of communication are neither homogenous nor stable. Societal norms regarding body shape and local norms of face saving and empathy form a constant tension of expectations resulting in paradoxical interactional positions. Morally integrating the group and maintaining a stance of solidarity proves to be constant hard and complex interactional work under these circumstances. One relevant strategy is the use of specific vagueness in narratives, which fosters affective affiliation while avoiding topical criticism.