Centre for Narrative Research

Narrative and Social Change

This area of CNR work aims to develop innovative and effective theories, methods and practices in the growing field of narrative and social change research. Drawing on existing research links, it brings together established and early career researchers across the disciplines of psychology, sociology, anthropology, education, literature, arts and humanities, to build expertise between researchers interested in narrative and social change.

INTRODUCTION

Narrative research in the social sciences searches out, analyses and works with stories that relate significantly to people’s lives. Many argue that this increasingly popular qualitative approach can offer understandings of social change. Narratives themselves can be important components of social change, and narrative research may contribute to such change. Researchers have worked successfully with narrative to address medical, social and educational problems, to build communities and resolve crises, to aid reconciliation and to improve understanding in situations of conflict and change

Three major areas of debate which academics could productively address, are:

The social contexts of narrative research. What social and political contexts does such research require? Are there gender differences in narrative’s significance? Can narrative work with groups of participants, affect community actions? How does research on discourse, addressing issues of power and social change more directly, relate to narrative work?

Different forms of narrative research. How generally relevant is the notion of ‘life story’? What is the impact of popular-cultural narratives? Is research focused on participant involvement particularly useful in helping participants understand and change their lives? What can we learn from African literary theory; and from written narratives’ relation to social change, which is also a strong one?

The impact of narrative research. What issues does narrative research address most productively? How far can narratives affect difficult situations such as those after national crises. In what situations do narrative interventions have no effect; may they even be counterproductive?

The project’s objectives are:

• To advance theoretical, methodological and practical debates about narrative and social change, by sharing expertise between researchers
• To establish a network of researchers interested in narrative and social change, including applied and academic researchers, academics and graduate students, and to promote exchanges between them.
• Where possible, to publish outputs from these exchanges

2007 EVENTS

• Ghana: first CNR-visit: December 2007
• Cape Town: regular CNR visit
• UK 'Narrative discourse social representation and social change' workshop, sponsored by BPS Social Psychology section

2009 EVENTS

• UK Narrative and Social Justice Workshop, sponsored by BPS Social Psychology Section, March.
• Final-year student work with the Bambanani Women's Group, South Africa, to create life narrative texts for the group's postcard images

2010 EVENTS

International Sociological Association symposium, Gothenberg, Sweden, on 'Narratives, health and citizenship' with contributions based in UK, Turkish, Swedish, Canadian and Australian research, July.

 

 

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© 2008