Story-Based Strategy : Amplifying the Impact of Grassroots Organizing Grassroots International October 22, 2009 Boston, MA

PART I: Framing (15 mins)

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

Frame: “ schemata of interpretation” (Goffman, 1974) Frame-alignment : a process to explain social movement theory (Snow & Benford, 1988) Core framing-tasks: 1. Diagnostic framing for the identification of a problem and assignment of blame 2. Prognostic framing to suggest solutions , strategies, and tactics to a problem 3. Motivational framing that serves as a call to arms or rationale for action

Metaphors We Live By (1980) "Our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature." Embodied Mind almost all of human cognition, up through the most abstract reasoning, depends on and makes use of such concrete and "low-level" facilities as the sensorimotor system and the emotions. Cognitive Science: "We are neural beings…” Meta-Metaphor: Strict Father/Nurturant Parent

Elements of Story Conflict Characters Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols Foreshadowing (Underlying Assumptions)

Elements of Story

Conflict

Characters

Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols

Foreshadowing

(Underlying Assumptions)

Frame: The larger story that shapes understanding of information, experiences, and messages; the structure and boundaries of a narrative that defines point-of-view and power. Frames operate is pre-existing narrative lenses in our minds.

PART II: Narrative Power Analysis, Memes & Control Memes (20 Mins)

NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF POWER STORY-BASED STRATEGY

EXTERNAL Physical/Economic INTERNAL Narrative/Ideological Power Over

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

Narrative Power Analysis

Changing the Stories: not what people

don’t know, but what they do know =FILTERS

Examining Dominant Stories/Origin Myths in US Culture

Power shapes Point of View of the story

Stories can Normalize Power/Universalize

Experience

Meme “ A unit of self replicating cultural information” Contagious ideas, stories, images, and rituals that spread from imagination to imagination, generation to generation, shaping and shifting human cultures… a capsule for a story to spread…

“ Loots” “ Finds”

Illegal Aliens

Changing the Story…

Memes: Resource Rights Food Sovereignty Global Justice Social Movements ?

Positioning

Winning the Battle of the Story Frame the Conflict Draws our attention to particular details of the story and avoids others outside the frame Amplifies the Voices of Impacted Characters Stories speak to us through relevant Spokespeople Show Don’t Tell -- Engage Peoples Values A good story emphasizes values and imagery over data Foreshadowing --Shows the Future/Offer Vision People will only go someplace that they have first been to in their minds Challenges & Changes Underlying Assumptions

Winning the Battle of the Story

Frame the Conflict

Draws our attention to particular details of the story

and avoids others outside the frame

Amplifies the Voices of Impacted Characters Stories speak to us through relevant Spokespeople

Show Don’t Tell -- Engage Peoples Values

A good story emphasizes values and imagery over data

Foreshadowing --Shows the Future/Offer Vision

People will only go someplace that they have first been to in their minds

Challenges & Changes Underlying Assumptions

Audience Who are you trying to talk to? What do they value? What do you want them to do? How do they get their information?

Story of the Battle or Battle of the Story? Can be limiting frame. WHAT trumps WHY. Mobilizes choir,doesn’t organize congregation.

Can be limiting frame.

WHAT trumps WHY.

Mobilizes choir,doesn’t

organize congregation.

Winning the Battle of the Story Frame the Conflict Draws our attention to particular details of the story and avoids others outside the frame Amplifies the Voices of Impacted Characters Stories speak to us through relevant Spokespeople Show Don’t Tell -- Engage Peoples Values A good story emphasizes values and imagery over data Foreshadowing --Shows the Future/Offer Vision People will only go someplace that they have first been to in their minds Challenges & Changes Underlying Assumptions

Winning the Battle of the Story

Frame the Conflict

Draws our attention to particular details of the story

and avoids others outside the frame

Amplifies the Voices of Impacted Characters Stories speak to us through relevant Spokespeople

Show Don’t Tell -- Engage Peoples Values

A good story emphasizes values and imagery over data

Foreshadowing --Shows the Future/Offer Vision

People will only go someplace that they have first been to in their minds

Challenges & Changes Underlying Assumptions

Elements of Story Conflict Characters Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols Foreshadowing (Underlying Assumptions)

Elements of Story

Conflict

Characters

Show Don’t Tell Images & Symbols

Foreshadowing

(Underlying Assumptions)

Framing the Conflict

Characters Who speaks for those most directly affected?

Images/Show Don’t Tell

Foreshadowing: Sets New Narratives into Motion

Challenging Underlying Assumptions

Design: Campaign Narrative ELMER HERE

Meme Campaign

Action Logic: World Bank on eBay

Action Logic: Capitol Climate Action

Encapsulating Story as Meme

Story-Based Strategy Frames/Reframes the Narrative Amplifies Voices of Sympathetic Characters Engages Peoples Values Show Don’t Tell (Images, Symbols, Pop Culture Icons) Foreshadowing the Future We Want Challenging Underlying Assumptions

Story-Based Strategy

Frames/Reframes the Narrative

Amplifies Voices of Sympathetic Characters

Engages Peoples Values

Show Don’t Tell (Images, Symbols, Pop Culture Icons)

Foreshadowing the Future We Want

Challenging Underlying Assumptions

story Amplify Deepen Analysis/Connect Mobilize Organize

www.smartmeme.org