This document discusses narrative analysis and story-based strategies for social change. It argues that stories help reinforce meaning and values in a culture, with symbols helping to recall stories. Furthermore, it states that changing dominant stories is more effective than addressing what people don't know, as stories shape people's worldviews and filters of information. The document also notes that power influences the point of view in stories and how stories can normalize power and certain experiences while obscuring oppression. It defines memes as contagious cultural information like ideas, stories, and images that spread between people and generations, shaping cultures over time.

1. Winning The Battle of the Story
Narrative, power, and framing strategies for social change
Prepared for:
The Progressive Communicators Network
Boston, MA
July 23, 2008

2. NARRATIVE ANALYSIS
POWER
STORY-BASED
STRATEGY

3. We are made of stories
Stories help reinforce meaning and values in a culture.
Symbols help recall stories.
People don’t just tell stories. Stories tell people who we are, how to live...

4. Narrative Power Analysis
 Changing the Stories: not what people
don’t know, but what they do know =FILTERS
 Examining Dominant Stories in US Culture
 Power shapes Point of View of the story
 Stories can Normalize Power/Universalize
Experience/Invisibilize Oppression