The stories we tell shape the worlds we live in. We construct narratives to make sense of our experiences, convey information, and align our beliefs and values. Narratives can be cages, constraining our ideas about what is right and good. But they can also be maps that prefigure possible futures, or lanterns guiding the way there.

This interdisciplinary workshop invites scholars, writers and activists to think together about the social, cognitive and cultural possibilities that narratives afford. We’ll consider narratives as both stories that convey evidence, as well as explanatory theories of social and political life. We’ll explore how power shapes the construction and control of narratives, as well as their potential for motivating cultural change. Our broad vision is to braid theoretical, empirical, and creative discoveries across disciplines into fresh insights about what narratives are for and how they are made.

Our workshop will feature a mix of talks and panel discussions, as well as plenty of opportunities for informal conversations. Our speakers hail from cognitive science, social psychology, philosophy, communication studies, computer science, political science, gender studies, anthropology, sociology, journalism, and organization in social movements, including Francesca Polletta, Jennifer Lackey, Shatema Threadcraft, Brittney Cooper, Monisha Pasupathi, Rachel Fraser, Josh Kalla, Alice Marwick, Maarten Sap, Craig Rawlings, Agustín Fuentes, Marshall Ganz, and Rebecca Solnit.