Terminology
Terminology of the Narrative Ecosystem of the Storytelling Boom
Content or copy
Ethics*
Ethical storytelling
Impact storytelling
Corporate storytelling
Narrative change
Narrative landscape
Narrative literacy
Narrative power
Narrative research*
Narrative strategy
Narrative theory
Narratology
Story*
Organizational storytelling
Rhetoric
Rhetorical narrative
Strategic storytelling
Instrumentalized storytelling
Media narrative
Messaging
Narrative*
from Literature
(Equivalent: “text”.)
Stories narrated by a corporation.
(Equivalent: “instrumentalized storytelling”.)
Personal stories that are used by an organization or corporation as an instrument — usually of a strategic campaign.
(Not used.)
Generally refers to a type of text — with a beginning, middle and end — that gives an account of events from a specific point of view e.g. a “narrative text”. Also refers to the techniques and devices employed within the text to create audience effect.
(Not used.)
The skill of being able to “read” the structure and parts of a narrative.
(Not used.)
Collecting narrative texts as data, usually through interviews.
(Not used.)
The study of narrative texts theories about how they work.
The study of narrative texts and how they are used.
Stories narrated by an organization. Learn more.
Argument.
(Not used.)
Most commonly refers to a narrative text; often used interchangeably with “narrative”.
(Equivalent: “corporate storytelling”, “organizational storytelling” or “instrumentalized storytelling”.)
Other Definitions
“Narrative ethics explores the intersections between the domain of stories and storytelling and that of moral values.” — Living Handbook of Narratology
“Telling stories — about real people — narrated by organizations, without causing harm.” — Fiona J. Ramsey, Tell Ethical Stories.
“It is both the charm and the challenge of narrative that no one discipline can define precisely what it is or does, though surely each contributes to our understanding. Some scholars – narratologists, for instance – study the structures of stories in and of themselves. Others analyze specific narratives according to established methodologies, from the literary scholar’s “close reading” to the sociologist’s discourse analysis. Some, such as qualitative researchers, look at narrative as a form of data; for others, it is an approach to interpreting such data.” Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Narrative
“Narratives are systems of stories that shape our attitudes and behaviors and help us make meaning of the world around us.” — The Math Narrative Project
“Narratives are the ideas and themes that permeate collections of stories. The ideas can appear in any structure, and are articulated and refined repeatedly in a variety of stories and messages.” — Narrative Initiative
My Story, Your Narrative: Scholarly Terms and Popular Usage in The Routledge Companion to Narrative Theory discusses the change in use of “narrative”.
“Narratives (are) collections of stories circulating within a society that convey themes, frames, and worldviews that are collectively recognized, understood, and embraced by its members.” — BLIS Collective
“A narrative consists of a collection or body of stories which together convey a common worldview or meaning — an interpretation of the world and how it works.” The Narrative Directory.
“Narratives are sets or patterns of stories that contain beliefs about the way the world works. They provide meaning and a lens through which to intepret issues, causes, and life events.” ORS Impact
“Narratives are patterns of stories that are held by individuals or groups and contain beliefs about the way the world works. They can be harmful, beneficial, or a mixture.” Liz Manne Strategy
“Narrative change is an effort to counter, modify, or replace existing narratives by creating and deploying new or different narratives.” — The Math Narrative Project
“Narrative change rests on the premise that reality is socially constructed through narrative, and that in order to bring about change in the world we need to pay attention to the ways in which this change takes place.” — The Narrative Directory.
“Narrative change is a change in the narratives that circulate within public discourse: either in the set of narratives in circulation (ie. which narratives are used) or in their relative prevalence (i.e. which narraties re used more or less frequently), or both.” ORS Impact
“A narrative landscape is a map of the harmful and helpful narratives that affect how people think about, talk about, and make decisions about your cause.” — Narrative Initiative
“narrative literacy is the capacity to emplot a sequence of events into a rounded whole, and to understand others doing so.” Moenander, Alber and Thirlway
“The storying of experiences.” — Christina Romero-Ivanova, Tara Kingsley and Lance Mason.
“Understanding how stories function and their effects at individual and collective levels” Sarah Dillon and Claire Craig in Storylistening.
“Narrative power refers to the ability to shape and control the stories told within a society, including which ones are told, who tells them, and how they are interpreted.” — Shanelle Matthews and Marzena Zukowska
“The ability to tell stories that shift the mental models and cultural mindsets that define our cultural norms.” — The Narrative Directory
“Narrative research is the study of circulating stories, where they come from, how they spread and coalesce, and how they impact public sentiment, policy, and broader culture. Applied narrative research encompasses all of this, with the crucial addition that it is designed, from start to finish, to serve movement strategy, with the ultimate goal of deepening collective power.” — BLIS Collective
“Narrative strategy is the practice of sharing connected stories to forge, spread, and reinforce beneficial narratives and counter harmful ones.” — Liz Manne
“Narrative theory starts from the assumption that narrative is a basic human strategy for coming to terms with fundamental elements of our experience, such as time, process, and change, and it proceeds from this assumption to study the distinctive nature of narrative and its various structures, elements, uses, and effects.” — Project Narrative.
“Narratology is a humanities discipline dedicated to the study of the logic, principles, and practices of narrative representation.” — the living handbook of narratology
A story describes an event or sequence of events that include characters, conflict, and imagery. It has a beginning, middle and end.” — Narrative Initiative
“Stories consist of characters, joined in some common problem in a temporal trajectory (plot) leading towards resolution within a particular setting or context.” — The Narrative Directory
My Story, Your Narrative: Scholarly Terms and Popular Usage in The Routledge Companion to Narrative Theory discusses the change in use of “story”.
“Stories are an essential part of how we process, understand and interpret our life experiences.” ORS Impact
“Ethics” usually refers to the factual correctness of a text e..g. if a text is publishing facts that are true or false.
Telling stories about real people who benefitted from a nonprofit or NGO’s work, without causing harm to the people whose stories are told.
Stories told by a nonprofit, NGO or social change organization to describe the human impact of that organization’s work.
(Equivalent: “strategic storytelling” or “impact storytelling”.)
The dominant (or most common) point of view of an event as narrated by media publications, most commonly news publications.
The point of view of a public figure (or organization), communicated through spokespeople and public communications. Often used interchangeably with “narrative”.
The most common usage is describing a point of view. For example, the “narrative” of an organization would be that organization’s point of view on the issues it is concerned with.
The work of persuading public opinion on a social issue. Learn more.
Mapping and measuring the opinions of the public and media on a social issue.
(Not used.)
Political power gained through influencing public opinion.
Public opinion research, typically collected through surveys. (Example)
Interchangeable with “narrative change”.
(Not used.)
(Equivalent: “strategic storytelling” or “impact storytelling”.)
(Equivalent: “messaging”.)
(Equivalent: “strategic storytelling”.)
Usually refers to a published article (or “piece”) published by the media.
The practice of telling stories as a tactic, e.g. a PR strategy or marketing strategy. Learn more.
from Communications
The written text of a communications product, e.g. social media post or website article copy.
(Equivalent: “strategic storytelling”.)
Online Glossaries
Encyclopedia of Ludic Terms
Terms related to the study of games and play.
Living Glossary of Digital Narrative
Published by the Centre for Digital Narrative.
Living Handbook of Narratology
Based on the Handbook of Narratology.
No Lip Service Glossary
Key terms at the intersection of communications and narrative.
The Narrative Directory
Key Terms used across the narrative change ecosystem.