Explore selected resources covering diverse aspects of narrative work and find practical tools speaking to your specific narrative interests and needs.
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13 results
Be the Narrative – How changing the narrative could revolutionize what it means to do human rights
by Just Labs and The Narrative Space
2019
Available in English
The report focuses on a shift in the narrative of human rights work and how tactical, organisational, and field-wide changes are needed to get the new narrative right and thus, to revolutionize the meaning of human rights work. It highlights new narrative responses on populist strategies, namely culture as response to controversy, cooperation towards crisis, and the narrative of community towards conflict.
Conditions to Flourish: Understanding the Ecosystem for Narrative Power
2023
Available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
The report paints a picture of the ecosystem of actors who are working to build narrative power in movements, as well as of the movements themselves. The picture shows different groupings — or kinds of actors — within this ecosystem, the interconnections between them and what they need to succeed.
How to talk about Democracy: What we know (and don’t know)
by Ryan Gem, Rushikesh Jadhav, Maria Milosh, Aby Dwi Prasetya, Mareike Schomerus and Gideon Too Democracy Narratives Alliance (DNA)
2026
Available in English
This research brief brings together extensive evidence and practice‑based insights on the role of narratives in shaping public understanding of democracy. Drawing on a review of nearly 400 publications and over 150 studies, as well as contributions from more than 30 organisations and experts, it maps dominant narratives about democracy, explores how messaging interacts with deeper mental models, and identifies strategies to rebuild trust and participation. It makes a clear case for coordinated, strategic narrative work as a critical condition for strengthening democratic resilience and countering disengagement.
Mapping the Global Democracy Narrative Landscape: Research Findings and Applications
2025
Available in English
This resource synthesises data collected between 2022 and 2024 across 11 countries. Combining large‑scale narrative scans, in‑depth case studies, and message testing, it identifies the dominant and salient pro-democracy and pro-authoritarian narratives, as well as the core values that underpin them. The resource provides practical, evidence‑based guidance for developing effective messaging, emphasising the importance of aligning narratives with people’s tangible realities and core values.
Migrant women: Narratives and perceptions
by Eleni Diker, Sydney Cohee, and Natalia Kossowska
2025
Available in English
This joint policy brief by UN Women and Oxfam explores how narratives about migrant women are shaped and why they matter. Using the Stereotype Content Model, it examines how public perceptions — from pity to admiration or contempt — influence visibility, rights, and well‑being. The brief highlights harmful frames across contexts and offers practical guidance for governments, media, and civil society to reshape narratives through gender‑responsive, human‑rights‑based storytelling.
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