Curated stories : the political uses and misuses of storytelling

In the contemporary era we have seen a proliferation of storytelling activities, from the phenomenon of TED talks and Humans of New York to a plethora of story-coaching agencies and consultants. __Curated Stories__ seeks to understand the rise of this storytelling culture alongside a broader shift to neoliberal free market economies. The book shows how in the turn to free market orders, stories have been reconfigured to promote liberal and neoliberal self-making and are restructured as easily digestible soundbites mobilized toward utilitarian ends. The reader is taken to several sites around the world where we can hear stories and observe varied contemporary modes of storytelling: the online Afghan Women’s Writing Project, the domestic workers movement and the undocumented student Dreamer movement in the United States, and the Misión Cultura storytelling project in Venezuela. Curated stories are often heartbreaking accounts of poverty and mistreatment that may move us deeply. But what do they move us to? What are the stakes, and for whom, in the crafting and mobilization of storytelling? A careful analysis of the conditions under which the stories are told, the tropes through which they are narrated, and the ways in which they are responded to shows how stories may actually work to disguise the deeper contexts of global inequality in which these marginal lives are situated. The book is also concerned with how we might reclaim storytelling as a craft that allows for the fullness and complexity of experience to be expressed in pursuit of transformative social change. Storytelling Has Proliferated Today, From Ted Talks And Humans Of New York To A Plethora Of Story-coaching Agencies And Consultants. These Narratives Are Typically Heartbreaking Accounts Of Poverty, Mistreatment, And Struggle That Often Move Us Deeply. But What Do They Move Us To? And What Are The Stakes In The Crafting And Use Of Storytelling?in Curated Stories, Sujatha Fernandes Considers The Rise Of Storytelling Alongside The Broader Shift To Neoliberal, Free-market Economies To Argue That Stories Have Been Reconfigured To Promote Entrepreneurial Self-making And Restructured As Easily Digestible Soundbites Mobilized Toward Utilitarian Ends. Fernandes Roams The Globe And Returns With Stories From The Afghan Women's Writing Project, The Domestic Workers Movement And The Undocumented Student Dreamer Movement In The United States, And The Misi N Cultura Project In Venezuela To Show How The Conditions Under Which The Stories Are Told, The Tropes Through Which They Are Narrated, And The Ways In Which They Are Responded To May Actually Disguise The Deeper Contexts Of Global Inequality. Curated Stories Shift The Focus Away From Structural Problems And Defuse The Confrontational Politics Of Social Movements. Not Just A Critical Examination Of Contemporary Use Of Narrative And Its Wider Impact On Our Collective Understanding Of Pressing Social Issues, Curated Stories Also Explores How Storytelling Might Be Reclaimed To Allow For The Complexity Of Experience To Be Expressed In Pursuit Of Transformative Social Change. Curated Storytelling -- Charting The Storytelling Turn -- Stories And Statecraft: Why Counting On Apathy Might Not Be Enough -- Out Of The Home, Into The House: How Storytelling At The Legislature Can Narrow Movement Goals -- Sticking To The Script: The Battle Over Representations -- Rumbas In The Barrio: Personal Lives In A Collectivist Project. Sujatha Fernandes. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Storytelling has proliferated today, from TED Talks and Humans of New York to a plethora of story-coaching agencies and consultants. These narratives are typically heartbreaking accounts of poverty, mistreatment, and struggle that often move us deeply. But what do they move us to? And what are the stakes in the crafting and use of storytelling? In Curated Stories , Sujatha Fernandes considers the rise of storytelling alongside the broader shift to neoliberal, free-market economies to argue that stories have been reconfigured to promote entrepreneurial self-making and restructured as easily digestible soundbites mobilized toward utilitarian ends. Fernandes roams the globe and returns with stories from the Afghan Women's Writing Project, the domestic worker and undocumented student legislative campaigns in the United States, and the Misión Cultura project in Venezuela. She shows how the conditions under which stories are told, the tropes through which they are narrated, and the ways in which they are responded to may actually disguise the deeper contexts of global inequality. Curated stories shift the focus away from structural problems and defuse the confrontational politics of social movements. Not just a critical examination of contemporary use of narrative and its wider impact on our collective understanding of pressing social issues, Curated Stories also explores how storytelling might be reclaimed to allow for the complexity of experience to be expressed in pursuit of transformative social change. Storytelling has proliferated today, from TED Talks and Humans of New York to a plethora of story-coaching agencies and consultants. Heartbreaking accounts of poverty, mistreatment, and struggle may move us deeply. But what do they move us to do? And what are the stakes in the crafting and use of storytelling? In Curated Stories, Sujatha Fernandes considers the rise of storytelling alongside the broader shift to neoliberal, free-market economies. She argues that stories have been reconfigured to promote entrepreneurial self-making and restructured as easily digestible soundbites mobilized toward utilitarian ends. Fernandes roams the globe and returns with stories from the Afghan Women's Writing Project, the domestic workers movement and the undocumented student Dreamer movement in the United States, and the Misión Cultura project in Venezuela. She shows how the conditions under which certain stories are told, the tropes through which they are narrated, and the ways in which they are responded to may actually disguise the deeper contexts of global inequality. Curated stories shift the focus away from structural problems and defuse the confrontational politics of social movements. Not just a critical examination of the contemporary use of narrative and its wider impact on our collective understanding of pressing social issues, Curated Stories also explores how storytelling might be reclaimed to allow for the complexity of experience to be expressed in pursuit of transformative social change. In this work, Sujatha Fernandes considers the rise of storytelling alongside the broader shift toward neoliberal, free-market economies to argue that stories have been reconfigured to promote entrepreneurial self-making and restructured as digestible soundbites. Fernandes uses stories from legal proceedings, empowerment workshops, and political campaigns to show how the conditions under which the stories are told, the tropes through which they are narrated, and the ways in which they are responded to can disguise the deeper contexts of global inequality