[FIELDS] Narrative Analysis

preamble

1. wide-reaching school of thought

2. there is a difference between narrative analysis and the analysis of narrative

3. narrative analysis

4. narratives as a form of data can be studied using TA, DA, IPA, GT

5. another form of phenomenology

wide-reaching school of thought that is difficult to pin down

• Can be found in Humanities, literature, linguistics, and sociology

• Make stories or make things that sound like stories

narrative analysis vs. the analysis of narrative

• analysis get a story and use different frameworks to study it

• Other lenses: social constructivist, phenomenological, etc.

narrative analysis

• It is its own framework already

• Narrative psychology

different forms in NA

• In partial disagreement with social constructionism 

  • narratives assume a structure of the self that radical (postmodern) social constructionists are not comfortable with 

  • Narratives: bring structure to disorder

  • Made stories to make sense of the world

  • Our interpretations are organized in stories

  • Want to deconstruct -> doesn’t want single narrative -> wants chaos

    • Can be prejudiced and imposing

• For radical constructionists, there is no single self

• Lead proponents label narrative analysis as belonging to the critical realist lens (but NA doesn’t agree)

• There are people who believe in small stories; no grand narrative

• The other field: narratives arne;t chaotic 

  • When we use stories, time becomes warped

• Very conservative

what is a narrative? structure

1. beginning

2. middle

3. ends and interpretation

[structure] beginning

• Orientation sections, typically to start a plot oint 

• Optional summaries of various related narratives or concepts

• Give context

[structure] middle

• A sequence of narrative clauses 

• Complicating actions and aspects

  • concern

[structure] ends and interpretations

• Small and overarching resolutions 

• Optional code,takeaways, bottom-lines, and closings 

• Evaluations of the narrator

assumption: we have storied selves

• Create our self using narratives

• Why are there stories

• Define in terms of function not just structure

narrative functions to

• Provide order and coherence where there is disorder 

• represent self and the social world to both themselves and others. A source of identity 

• Integrate lives in a manner that gives sense to individual scenes

• What is your role in the story you’re trying to tell?

• Locate yourself 

• Difficult to get the complete objective/truth of narrative

narratives are shared with others and are told in social relationships

• Narratives are shared with others and are told in social relationships

• Serve as resources for interpretation and justification 

a narrative changes over time

• Narratives involve transformation 

• Narratives involve some sort of action

  • Hard to tell a story without any behavior -> involve action 

• Narratives have various (changing) characters

narratives are cultural texts

• Reflect the culture and reflect the culture’s ways of talking narratively 

some narratives are better than others

• Better in the sense that they intertwine with morality

• Better in a the sense of personal wellness: reflect the psychological health of the self

• E.g. sadder than others

• Not because of an inherent quality but they are told as such 

when to use NA

• Apply NA to data with a story-like quality from an open range of sources

• Data needs to describe a series of life events and the narrator actively interpreting these events 

• The phenomenon being investigated are essentially narratives, with each study having a root anchoring characteristics (RAC)

  • RAC; specific elements/contexts 

recommended research questions

1. MQ: what are the narratives of participants who/that (RAC)

   1. SQ1: What are the constructions of their identities in these narratives?

   2. SQ2: in what ways do they construct RAC in these narratives?

• Depending on how it is declared, SQs can be turned into main questions 2 and 3

data gathering; the mcadams protocol

1. life chapters

2. key events

3. significant people

4. future script

5. stresses and problems

6. personal ideology

7. core life theme

[DG] 1 life chapters

• Make the participant divide their life into chapters (up to 8)

• Make participant identify 2-3 main chapters 

• Participant names each chapter

• Participant describes each chapter

• Participant explains how one chapter follows the next

• Restoying: Can use it to interpret the story

[DG] 2 key events

1. The peak experience/highspot of their life.

2. The worst or lowest point of their life.

3. A turning point in their life – this can be one that they only saw as a turning point retrospectively rather than when it happened.

4. The earliest memory they have in their life with details such as who was present, the situation and feelings/thoughts

5. A very important childhood memory: good or bad that stands out 

   • Bad to do it on children 

6. An important memory from their adolescence - good or bad 

7. An important memory from adulthood -after the age of 21 years which may be good or bad 

8. One other important memory any stage in life

[DG] 3 signfiicant people

Name, relationship type and impact up to 4 people

[DG] 4 future script

• Future script: Plans and dreams for the future.

• Ask how will these plans help them be creative and

• contributive

[DG] 5 stresses and problems

• Conflict, stresses

• Ask how these affected them

[DG] 6 personal ideology

• Whether they believe in some higher power/god or deity ora reigning force

• For a nutshell account of their religious beliefs

• To explain how their beliefs are different from those of most people they know if they have any

• To describe how their religious beliefs have changed during their life. Have they changed rapidly

• To describe their political orientation 

• To explain their most important value in life

• To mention anything else that the interviewee could tell the researcher which would help the researcher understand the interviewee's basic beliefs and values about the world

[DG] 7 core life theme

Ask the participant to reflect back on their life story and identify the for life theme that runs through the narrative of their life

data analysis: crossley’s method

1. reading and familiarization

2. identifying important concept to look for

3. identifying the narrative tone

4. identifying the narrative themes and images

5. weaving iamges and themes into a coherent narrative

6. writing up the research report

[DA] step 1 reading and familiarization

• read up to 6 times

[DA] step 2 identifying important concepts to look for

• Note all of them first without deeper interpretation. 

• Similar to coding/note-taking

• Tone: Label how parts of the story are told.

• Imagery: Label the metaphors and descriptions being used.

  • Their interpretation

• Themes: The various interpretations being made. Can overlap with imagery and vice versa.

• Answer your research question

[DA] step 3 identifying the narrative tone

•  On a much deeper level.

• Go deeper into why

[DA] step 4 idetnifying the narrative themes and images

• During this step, you can also declare and begin the use of any of the six interpretative perspectives of Hiles and Čermák.

[S4] 6 interpretative prespectives

1. sjuzet-fabula

2. holistic-content perspective

3. holistic-form perspective

4. categorical-content perspective

5. categorical-form perspective

6. critical narrative analysis perspective

sjuzet-fabula

• Distinguishing between the actual events and the interpretative spin of the narrator.

• Interpreting

holistic-content perspective

• Focusing on the core/key narrative the major parts of the narrative, patterns in the narrative.

• Themes found across entire narrative/most of it

holistic-form perspective

• Looks into the form of the plotline

• identifies the genre of the narrative (and its parts)

• E.g. rising action, climax. Etc

categorical-content perspective

• Identifies the narrative themes contained in the analysis, with less focus on the order and connection.

• Closest to thematic analysis

• Focus on how they are connected with each other

categorical-form perspective

• Choosing a particular aspect of the narrative and how it is used throughout the narrative.

• Look at the motif and analyze it

• E.g. how did the person construct their parents throughout their entire life

critical narrative analysis perspective

• Analyses narratives in terms of power relations and how they are enforced.

[DA] step 5 weaving images and themes into a coherent narrative

This is the researcher’s re-storying. The narrative of the participants’ narrative.