POSITIONING THEORY, NARRATIVE, AND NARRATIVE ANALYSIS

This methodological chapter provides background in Positioning Theory and narrative analysis, particularly for those who may be unfamiliar with narrative traditions or the multidisciplinary nature of positioning. The first section focuses on historical contexts and trends related to discourse and narrative in the last decades of the 20th century in what scholars in psychology and other disciplines have characterized as the discursive or narrative turn. Davies’ and Harré’s introduction of positioning and storyline can be seen as representative of this shift. The chapter describes narrative connections in early writings on Positioning Theory including projects carried out by Davies and Harré in their individual scholarship. Some critiques of the Davies and Harré concept of positioning are considered and explored. The remainder of the chapter focuses on analytic work related to narratives of social interaction foregrounding connections between narrative, identity, and discourse in positioning analysis and drawing heavily from Bamberg’s versions of narrative analysis and positioning. The chapter concludes with discussion of future directions and considerations for narrative positioning scholarship including how positioning scholars might adopt more critical positioning analysis of narratives in explorations of race-related narratives and narratives in digital media.