Defining Narratives | Lab Update

Setting out to clearly define our Lab has been tricky, but necessary. We work with narratives, but what defines a “narrative? “What is a “narrative system?”  

For the purpose of our Lab, we have adopted definitions from Race Forward’s Butterfly Lab. 

We view narratives as, “An array of related and connected stories and messages on a particular subject, issue, or problem. Narratives suggest causes, problems, and solutions […] They evoke emotion, offer analysis, and suggest action; they tell us how we should feel, think, and act.”  

A narrative system is, “A set of deep narratives or shared values that together describe the worldview a particular group wants to use to challenge the status quo.”  

Narrative systems are the core of what makes a narrative powerful. For Muslims, their narratives have been formed beyond and without them. The work of the Cohort is a critical first step to collectively and collaboratively figuring out what a Muslim narrative system (or values framework) may look like.  

Written by Angie Balata | April 29, 2022