Narratives: a dialogue with the intercultural self (original) (raw)

Selected Functions of Narrative Structures in the Process of Social and Cultural Communication1

The art of narrative stems from the art of rhetoric and modes of persuasion and in this meaning is understood not just as a form of entertainment but also as a tool of communication. Any narrative communicates and conveys a message. Narrative is an important aspect of culture and as a ubiquitous component of human communication is conveyed by different works of art (literature, music, painting, sculpture), and illustrates events, emotions, phenomena and occurrences. Narrative as a form of communication involves its participants, a teller and a receiver of the message. The relation and the distance between the participants of the narrative communication process may have a different configuration and presents different effect of closeness and distance in narrative. In this meaning narrative is not just the art of telling stories, but it serves various functions, it communicates information, expresses emotions and personal events, transmits morals and cultural knowledge, provides entertainment and also helps in many ways to depict thoughts and feelings, along with disclosing the beauty of language. Narrative knowledge and narrative perception of social and cultural processes, is one of the most natural ways for a human being to acquire and organize their knowledge about the world. The ability to create narratives leads to a better understanding of the surrounding reality, and significantly influences the interpretation of social and cultural relationships. Keywords: narrative, culture, communication, narrative structures, relationship, distance, closeness.

Universal stories: How narratives satisfy core motives

Self and Identity, 2018

For millennia, narratives have been a primary mode of oral discourse. Narrative presentation of information has been shown to facilitate interpersonal and group communication. However, research indicates that narratives are more than merely an adaptive mode of communication. Narrative is a fundamental-and perhaps foundational-element of social and cultural life. The present article posits that the centrality of narrative in social life is due to narrative's ability to help satisfy the five core social motives, as identified by Fiske belonging, understanding, control, self-enhancement, and trust. In so doing, this article reviews empirical and theoretical work examining basic narrative processes, autobiographical narratives, and entertainment narrative consumption to illustrate how narrative thought helps to satisfies core human motives and in turn, how the narrative construction process informs self and identity formation. Storytelling is universal: Throughout time, cultures around the world have used narratives as a primary mode of oral discourse (Rubin, 1995). Anthropological evidence suggests that even ancestral hominids constructed primitive narratives (Donald, 1991). The prevalence of narrative is so thoroughly documented that Smith (1990) claimed that "thought flows in terms of stories" (p. 62), and McAdams (1993) described narrative as a "natural package" for organizing information (p. 27). We propose that the universality of narrative occurs not only because narrative is a fundamental element of human social and cultural life (Read & Miller, 1995), but importantly, because narrative is a fundamental element of one's self and identity. The definition of narrative varies among scholars, but at its essence, a narrative represents causally-linked actions or events that unfold over time (Graesser & Ottati, 1995). Unlike abstract, logic-based paradigmatic thinking, narrative thinking focuses on particular experiences of human action (Bruner, 1990). The present review examines how narratives affect cognition, perception, and identity formation using three interrelated streams of focus: (a) basic narrative construction, (b) autobiographical narratives, and (c) entertainment narratives. In so doing, the present paper describes how narratives can help to satisfy Fiske's (2004) five core social motives: belonging, understanding, control, self-enhancement, and trust, and how the satisfaction of these core motives guides self and identity development.

The Power of Storytelling in Our Lives

IIUM-Today, 2024

From ancient to modern times, humanity has used storytelling as a tool to pass on values, legacy, advice, personal experience, and cultural heritage. Storytelling plays a dominant role in human lives. As human beings, and as the best creation of God Almighty, we are endowed with the gift of language to articulate our emotions. Before the modern age, through face-to-face oral presentations, we could only convey our stories to those around us. But now, with advancements in science and technology, we can reach out to a great number of listeners around the globe. As social animals, it is natural for us to share our stories with others.

Sharing Stories, Building Bonds: The Reconciliating Power of a Narrative

2020

for reading every single section of this paper hundreds of times, supporting and motivating me over the last years of my education. I am also grateful to the director of Vusumnotfo Katherine J. Gau and all other staff at Vusumnotfo, James Tsabedze, Nomcebo Shezie and Sikhumbuzo Mkhabela, for giving me the space to work and supporting me with translations, cultural insight and never ending acceptance. Lastly, the greatest thank you to my advisor John Ungerleider for seeing me through to the end of my Capstone, even though it took longer than planned. Without all of you this Capstone would never have been completed! Dedication This paper is dedicated to my sweet Khosi, you can do everything you set your mind to, I love you Khos! 4 "Sharing Stories, Building Bonds: The Reconciliating Power of a Narrative"

The art of storytelling for cross cultural understanding

International Journal of Early Childhood, 2004

Understanding and appreciating other cultures has long been a goal of many early childhood education programs. Yet, helping children develop an understanding and appreciation of other cultures is not easily achieved. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of fairytales and storytelling with young children to promote cultural understanding and peace education. We were interested specifically in understanding how children in a rural school in America would understand a Kuwaiti fairytale. After hearing two versions of the Cinderella tale, a familiar version and a Kuwaiti version, the children wrote their own story. The children's stories reflected elements from both fairytales, yet showed each child's unique interpretation of major themes, thus creating a dialogical narrative. Such experiences, we believe, can promote children's understandings and appreciation of other cultures.

Personal Storytelling Bridges the Global Divide: Changing the World One Story at a Time

ijl.cgpublisher.com

Main Description We divide our world into nations, cultures, religions, languages; each separating one group from another. We define ourselves by identifying with one group and not with another. Americans: Democrats-Republicans. Iraquis: Sunni-Shiite-Kurd. East Malaysians: Muslim-Chinese-Malay. And so on, throughout the world: Indian-Pakistani, Chinese-Japanese, Protestant-Catholic, Arab-Jew, Christian-Muslim, neighbour hating and fearing neighbour; one group demonising and separating itself from “the other”. Yet we all have one thing in common. We are all human beings - who all yearn for the same comforts, freedoms, gods, friends, security, self-expression, fulfilment, transcendence - as one another. What is a way we can communicate with each other, break down the barriers between us, feel we have things in common? Stories are the answer. Personal stories - that can be taught in writing & drama classes - in school, in the community. No matter what the language, nationality, political persuasion, or culture, writing & performing personal stories can touch us all.

Narrative as a Means of Creating an Identity for Ourselves and Others

Synthesis Philosophica, 2011

The need to narrate is according to P. Ricœur the very core of creating the knowledge of self. The process of identification through narration does not lead us to be focused on our own narration. We always find other people’s narrations first and then start telling the narration of our life. Through narration, as understood by Ricœur, we can simultaneously learn ethics as well as morals. To show this the author compares philosophic view of identity by Ricœur with Frisch’s literary experiment in the novel I’m Not Stiller. Both of them are a hermeneutic intertwining that brings to natural identity. In this hermeneutic process we can rediscover ourselves in a world, in which we will respect our own identity by being fully open to its creative transformation.