Narratives
We use the term "narrative" to mean a discourse which contributes
to the formation of opinion. Our focus is on ideological narratives which
contribute to political opinions, but, there are others too.
Some theorists would use the term "meme" where we use
"narrative"; others would use "interpellation". We like
"narrative" 'cause it's easier to understand.
Here's an example:
"Get the government off your back."
The Republican elite uses this simple story very effectively to mobilize voters,
who interpret it to mean something very different than the right-wing does. Where
wealthy elitists interpret it to mean, deregulate big-business so that it can pollute
to its heart's content, voters interpret it to mean, keep the government out of my life.
These are not the same things. The purpose of the narrative is specifically
to blur the difference.
Right-wing political discourse often depends on these manipulations. Part
of our project is to catalog them, while developing counter-narratives
to better sort-out the issues.
We draw on Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Ernesto Laclau, Warren
Montag, "meme" theory, and other sources. Fortunately the material we present
here doesn't require this background. We hope our posts will be
straightforward enough for cultural workers such as writers and artists to incorporate
into their own work.
Note lastly our interest in
demonstrations as narrative.
It's possible to theorize
these events as theater, media, forms of popular sovereignty, and in many other
ways. We feel it's helpful to see them as messages: a story someone is trying to tell
to someone else. Who is the message intended for? How can its impact be measured?
As activists we feel these are key questions.
Narratives of Hegemony
catalogs right-wing ideological narratives.
Narratives of Empowerment
proposes counter-narratives.
Our posts here are just like our
blogs:
you can reply to them with comments, suggestions, and insights of your own.
Please do!
Recent Additions
More Information
- Politics and Ideology in Marxist Theory, Laclau
- The Spitting Image, Lembcke
- Vietnam and Other American Fantasies, Franklin
- M.I.A., or Mythmaking in America, Franklin
- Trouble Tickets' narratives book selections
- Reading Capital, Althusser
- Lenin and Philosophy, Althusser
- Louis Althusser, Montag
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