There are countless ways to define and understand the concept of narrative. In the interview series Narrative Power and Collective Action – Part 1 and Part 2 – each conversation begins by exploring what the term narrative means to different practitioners. These diverse perspectives reflect the richness and complexity of narrative work across various fields and contexts:
‘Narratives represent a series of stories around a topic that are continuously repeated, shared and amplified by people in power. And then at some point they’re believed to be true.’ – Sophia Hernández
‘Narratives are about invisible power. How perceptions, belief systems and ideology shape the way people define what is “right” and what is “wrong”.’ – Phumi Mtetwa
‘Narratives are an interpretation of reality that serves the interests of the group that constructs them. And they can have a very direct impact on the action and behaviour of people.’ – Elena Mejia Julca
‘I think of a narrative like a song, that leaves you with a feeling. It isn’t just a piece of news, but something that stays with you, sits in you, and makes you think. It’s pleasing. You aren’t aware that you are getting a message, but it travels through you.’ – Rohini Mohan
Let’s first look at the definitions provided in the Narrative Directory’s Glossary:
Story
“Stories consist of characters, joined in some common problem in a temporal trajectory (plot) leading towards resolution within a particular setting or context. A story is discrete and contained; it has a beginning, middle and end. Stories recount a particular series of events that occur in a particular place and time.”
Narrative
“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. Narratives both emerge from a set of stories and provide templates for specific stories. They are powerful, socially constructed mental models that shape our perception and understanding of reality and thus guide individuals’ decision-making and behavior. Cultural narratives are intimately tied up with questions of power – they help justify existing power relationships, while obscuring the ways in which power operates.”
To provide a concrete example, think of a successful politician who grew up in underprivileged circumstances. His story includes vivid memories of his difficult childhood, his determination to change his life, and the hard work that led to his eventual success.
This kind of story is common among politicians, business leaders, and public figures. Together, these stories reinforce a broader narrative: that success is earned through dedication and perseverance – not granted by privilege.
The same people could probably tell their stories differently. For instance, the politician might highlight the support of caring family member or teacher, emphasizing a narrative about the importance of care and public education.
Additionally, other people could tell different stories, stories of how, despite their dedication and perseverance, systemic barriers like discrimination or lack of access prevented them from succeeding. These stories contribute to a narrative about an unfair system that favors the privileged few.
The Narrative Initiative compares narratives with deep ocean currents. If you’ve ever tried swimming against one, you know the feeling—exhausting, disorienting, and sometimes frightening. No matter how hard you push, progress is minimal, and you may even be swept backward.
This same dynamic often plays out in social change work. You present compelling evidence, deliver passionate speeches, and rally for collective action—yet some people remain unmoved. While a few are eager to engage, others seem unreachable. Why?
The answer may lie in the underlying narratives people hold.
If someone believes that poverty is a result of personal failure, they’re unlikely to support policies like universal basic income. If they’ve internalized stories that portray migrants as threats instead of as people facing similar systemic challenges, solidarity becomes elusive. Even when people agree with your diagnosis of the problem, they may resist mobilization if they subscribe to the “one strong leader will fix it” narrative.
Narratives shape how people interpret the world—and whether they choose to act.
That’s why amplifying alternative narratives is a powerful strategy for social change. It’s not a quick fix, but once these alternative narratives gain traction, they create fertile ground for activism. They help people see your cause not as an isolated issue, but as part of a broader movement for justice and solidarity.
By shifting the narrative, you’re not just changing minds—you’re laying the foundation for long-term, transformative change.
The Narrative Space is a platform to share insights, resources, and inspiring examples of how the power of narratives can be harnessed to advance social justice. Born from a shared commitment to learn with and from our partners and allies, this space is an open invitation to collaborate, exchange knowledge and empower each other. The Narrative Space is based on the belief that there is no ‘one’ way to do narrative work. Instead, it aims to highlight the diversity of perspectives and approaches of our partners and allies engaged in narrative change efforts.
The platform has been developed by Oxfam’s Civic Space Knowledge Hub, with crucial contributions from other teams within Oxfam, our partners and allies.
One of the most powerful ways to engage in authentic narrative work is to be the narrative yourself. As a collective of narrative practitioners, it’s valuable to define a shared set of principles that reflect the values you aim to express through your stories and activism.
These principles serve as a foundation for your work and help ensure that your actions align with your intentions. It can also be helpful to establish regular practices for self-reflection and mutual accountability—ways to check in with each other and stay true to your shared commitments.
This process of defining principles is inherently collaborative, and the outcomes will naturally vary from group to group. To offer inspiration, we’re sharing the set of principles developed during the creation of The Narrative Space—not as a blueprint, but as one example of how these principles can look like:
Sharing power: Be aware of the advantages and privilege some people/groups have over others due to social inequality (gender, race, sexual identity, class, standard of education) and how this can lead to unequal power in narrative processes.
Challenging our own behavior: Recognize that challenging sexism, racism or any oppressive ideology, begins with challenging yourself. It is important we look at our own conscious and unconscious bias to ensure our narratives do not reflect but challenge inequalities that exist in our societies.
Supporting movements: Acknowledge that feminist activists and social movements already developed and shaped powerful narratives and take care that our narrative practices do not undermine, duplicate, appropriate or overlook their work.
Nothing about us without us: Ensure that the people most affected by the issues addressed in our narratives are involved in every step of our narrative processes and create space for their own voices and experiences to be heard.
Championing diversity: Recognize that there is no such thing as a single-issue struggle and weave narratives that champion diversity and challenge discrimination with an intersectional lens.
Caring: Be aware that challenging oppression is emotionally intense, especially for those that need to heal from trauma or process grief. If appropriate, bring in radical healing, love, and care into your narrative processes.
The narrative space…
The Narrative Space is an invitation for learning together and inspiring each other. You could contribute to the platform by featuring your narrative experiences, suggesting resources for our Resource Library, or offering your expertise in any other way. Please reach out to cskh@oxfam.org if you want to get engaged.
The Narrative Space is currently in its beta version. While we have some expertise to share, we fully recognize that the platform does not yet reflect the full breadth of knowledge, experiences, and perspectives of diverse narrative practitioners across regions.
We’ve chosen to launch this early version to invite collaboration. If you notice gaps or have ideas for contributions based on your own experiences, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at cskh@oxfam.org to get involved.
Can’t find the answer you were looking for? Contact us at cskh@oxfam.org to start a conversation.