Narrative Change

Changing the way we think — not what we think

Narrative change creates resilient and enduring change.

Narrative change is an emerging communications strategy that uses storytelling to create the conditions for change to take place.

Narrative change and persuasion are not the same thing:

  • Persuasion relies on rational argument, whereas narrative change relies on new opportunities

  • Persuasion requires negating alternate opinions whereas narrative change creates space for opposing opinions to coexist

  • Persuasion is fragile when conditions change, whereas narrative change is adaptive

Narrative change is an important strategy for nonprofits and social change organizations, Examples include:

  • shifting public opinion on same-sex marriage to support legislation

  • shifting public opinion on the safety of elections to support new voting options to increase election turnout

  • shifting public opinion on the impact of climate science to support government funding for science research

  • shifting public opinion on acceptable workplace behavior to create a new cultural norm where sexual harassment of any kind is not tolerated

often important for nonprofits, social change organizations, and organizations and emerging social issues.

used when public opinion on a social issue is an obstacle to change. The work of narrative change is persuasion; in a narrative change strategy, communications and storytelling are efforts to persuade public opinion. Examples include:

  • shifting public opinion on same-sex marriage to support legislation

  • shifting public opinion on the safety of elections to support new voting options to increase election turnout

  • shifting public opinion on the impact of climate science to support government funding for science research

  • shifting public opinion on acceptable workplace behavior to create a new cultural norm where sexual harassment of any kind is not tolerated

Narrative change reports, practical guides, reports, messaging and organizations can be found at The Narrative Home.

What’s the difference between persuasion and narrative change?

Persuasion

Binary: for or against
Opinion of a person, organization or event (categorical)
Persuasion: right or wrong (exclusive)
Possible outcomes: known
More personal
Tactics: values-based messaging
Asks the question: Which?
Relies on emotion

Narrative Change

Plural: does not require negating one point of view
Opinion on a social issue (relational)
Persuasion: new possibilities (inclusive)
Possible outcomes: known + unknown
More cultural/social norms
Tactics: reframing and retelling
Asks the question: what else?
Relies on opportunity

FAQ

  • If public opinion is an obstacle to your work, you may need to invest in a narrative change strategy.

    If public opinion is not a direct obstacle, a narrative change strategy is not necessary.

  • You can find a list of organizations, resrouces and guides related to narrative change on The Narrative Home — a project of No Lip Service.

  • The objective of narrative change is to persuade; narrative change seeks to persuade the public’s opinion on a social issue.

    However, most persuasion is binary: arguing for one opinion in opposition to another. Narrative change is plural: opening public opinion to multiple opinions.

  • The explicit goal of public relations is that the public has a positive opinion of your organization.

    Narrative change is related to the public’s opinion on a social issue, not your organization specifically, which is why you’ll often see organizations form narrative change coalitions if they are all working to impact the same social issue.

    Storytelling is a communications tactic, not a strategy; a PR campaign might include storytelling as one tactic.