Biographical Narratives Research Articles

Image of Social World in Metaphors and Narratives of Adults

The image of the social world is a predictor of social behavior and its development during stable social transitivity, i.e., COVID-19 pandemic, economic crises, local military conflicts, etc. It can also be interpreted as a variable linguistic phenomenon. However, very little empirical research has featured its integral structural and content characteristics through the prism of narratives, metaphors, and social representations. The author used the methods of thematic narrative analysis and content analysis of metaphors to identify the narrative constructions used by adult subjects to describe their image of the social world. The data obtained were subjected to frequency analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. The experiment involved 193 respondents aged 35–49 years old, employed in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia. In their metaphors and narratives, they described the social world as balancing between stability and dynamism, predictability and stochasticity, as well as endowed it with differentiation in the absence of universal laws. The rationality of the metaphors reflected the age identity while the subject of biographical narratives reflected the subjective adaptation to current social processes.

Survival Experiences of Mapuche Parents in Multilevel Schools in La Araucanía

ABSTRACT This article examines how colonial legacies shape parents’ schooling experiences in multilevel schools within the Mapuche context of La Araucanía, Chile, also known as WallMapu. Authorities built schools to evangelize Indigenous people into Christianity. Researchers used biographical narratives to reflect the importance of orality for the Mapuche. The findings show that the physical and psychological violence endured by Mapuche children has widened the educational gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. The study concludes that recognizing the harm caused by the school system is essential to rebuild trust and improve educational outcomes for Indigenous children.

(Bio)Graphic Novels: A Medium for Biographic Storytelling

ABSTRACT Over the past decade, the Italian comics landscape has been transformed by autobiographical comic artists like Zerocalcare and Takoua Ben Mohamed, whose works have significantly broadened the comics readership in Italy. The success of these authors, along with the rise of the non-serialised form of the ‘graphic novel’, has also influenced the production of biographical comics. These comics offer fresh perspectives on the lives of notable figures to a diverse audience. The unique narrative mediation by comics authors makes this genre particularly intriguing for examining how verbo-visual storytelling techniques are used to reflect and convey real-life scenes and experiences. This article delves into the biographical storytelling approach through a close reading of three graphic biographies authored by women and focused on female figures, Lei. Vivian Maier, Virginia Woolf, and Io sono Maria Callas, to explore how biographical narratives can be crafted to tell compelling life stories.

The role of women during the Spanish Civil War

This study explores the multifaceted roles of women during the Spanish Civil War, examining the diverse perspectives delineated in academic literature. Leveraging scholarly articles sourced from Web of Science and Scopus spanning from 2013 to 2022, we analyse temporal trends, author demographics, scholarly impact, journal prominence, and thematic content. Our investigation culminates in the classification of contributions into six overarching themes: humanitarian aid and healthcare, biographical narratives, communication dynamics, experiences of exile and refugee communities, women’s mobilisation and ideological engagement, and the harrowing realities of repression and violence inflicted upon women. Furthermore, our findings reveal that research predominantly originates from Spain and is disseminated through Spanish-language journals. However, there exists a notable interconnection with the United States, evidenced by the participation of prominent North American authors and publication in non-Spanish journals. This research offers insights into the multifaceted roles of women during the Spanish Civil War and their academic representation.

Kilómetro 0: inicio de las trayectorias migratorias de trabajadoras domésticas en Chile

This study aims to describe how the migratory trajectories of migrant domestic workers begin in Chile and the role of migratory networks and emotional factors in their decisions. A qualitative analysis of six biographical narratives is employed to examine the complexities of their labor and migratory trajectories, influenced by intersecting factors such as gender, class, and ethnicity, within the context of global care chains. The results reveal five central moments when making the decision to migrate. The first moment is characterized by the fact that none of the cases had worked as domestic workersin their home countries. In the second moment, the need to change their circumstances in their home countries arises, often due to political crises, economic challenges, or gender-based violence. The third moment involves the existence of a migratory network of friends and family who assist in their journey.In the fourth moment, a significant emotional factor plays a central role in the decision to migrate, influencing the timing of the decision. Finally, in the fifth moment, the decision to migrate to Chile is made.

Tapestry of Tales: Women’s Collative Writings as Legal Storytelling

This article presents an exploration of the storytelling as a feminist practice generating a counternarrative to law, with particular focus on narrative forms that center the collation of women’s stories, examining the practice from the 1400s to contemporary microbiographies on TikTok. I focus on the literary mode of biographical collection. In doing so, I assert that it is the weaving and compounding of multitudes of stories that give rise to the challenging of law’s normative, masculinized narratives. Seemingly inconsequential, isolated biographical narratives are given larger social meaning when read together.

Narrative value theory: an educational biography as an iterative theory-of-self

ABSTRACT Personal narratives can be seen as iterative theories-of-valued-selves: thick, deliberate outlines traced over and selectively enhancing and obscuring the finer details of life as lived. Through telling such stories we represent and orient ourselves towards certain potential actions while turning away from others. Biographical narration is in this way a mobilisation of our pasts to identify valued futures. This article draws together narrative theory, identity psychology and educational philosophy to submit a tentative theory of educational narratives as iterative theories of personal value. The author’s autoethnographic account of completing a postgraduate course online throughout the COVID pandemic is then used as the basis for an inductive analysis of narrative features and their felt and represented significance. This process highlights the ways in which the author’s personal narrative can be read as a theory-of-valued-self, identifying key moments of interaction which characterise the narrator’s valued identity and open causal pathways to future valued action. Such practices may have potential in application with so-called ‘lifelong learners’, adults who continually engage with education throughout life particularly in response to major professional and personal disruption which can otherwise result in a lack of continuity and identity coherence.

Beyond tokenism: activism, resistance and rebellion

PurposeThe aim of this research was to explore and gain an understanding of the lived experiences of Black females transitioning from social work practice into academia and the support and barriers they experienced.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this an adaptation of Wengraf (2004) Biographical Narrative Interview Model (BNIM) was employed alongside Braun and Clarke (2006) thematic analysis as foundation of the methodology employed in this study. Whilst the adverse issues relating to Black female academics is not new, the paper is original in the manner in which data was gathered.FindingsThe study identified four themes: (1) significance of early life, (2) passion for learning, (3) overcoming obstacles and (4) navigating academia. The case studies highlighted the various examples of resistance, rebellion and activism the Black female academics employed within UK universities. The paper concluded that despite the positive messaging from families and communities, about pursuing education, and the need for having a strong work ethic, the progress that can be achieved by Black female academics is limited due to the pervasive nature of racism, therefore dispelling the myth of meritocracy.Research limitations/implicationsThe research sample was small and therefore not easily generalisable to the whole population. The findings of the paper will need to be considered as a contribution of knowledge to the issue of structural racism.Originality/valueWhilst the adverse issues relating to Black female academics is sadly not new, the paper is original in the manner in which data was gathered. Namely, the academics were both researchers and the participants, therefore simultaneously providing and analysing the data.

Social Emotional Learning in Teacher Education: Biographical Narrative as a Method for Professional Development

Social emotional learning (SEL) of teachers is crucial both to teachers and their students. Thus, teachers’ professional development should focus on cognitive, emotional, and social skills in order to promote teachers’ identity formation. Teacher professional development is a life-long process that begins in teachers’ education. The Biographical Narrative, the story about our lives, was chosen as a method with the potential to promote SEL. Eighteen preservice teachers participated in a workshop focusing on emotional and social skills as part of professional development and shared their Biographical Narrative with the group. Data from the reflections of 12 participants were collected and analyzed qualitatively. The purpose of the study was to understand preservice teachers’ perceptions about their professional development, and the contribution of the Biographical Narrative to the social emotional learning of the tellers, the listeners, and the group. The findings revealed that the participants related to cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of development. The developmental process occurs throughout all stages of the method—planning, performance, and reflection. In addition, the Biographical Narrative influenced not only the tellers, but also the listeners and the group. Implications are discussed regarding teachers’ professional development as preservice teachers and as teachers in their work in schools.

The Continuum of Violence and Interstices in the Journeys and Bodies of Women on the Move From West Africa.

On the migration route from Western and Central Africa to Europe, aggression toward women's bodies has played a prominent role. In this study, we analyze this route as a continuum of violence and also study the interstices to confront it. Using a biographical narrative methodology, we analyze the narratives of 52 migrant women, through life stories or creative narrative workshops carried out in Mali, Morocco, and Spain. The results allow us to systematize the continuum of violence that the women report, understood as a pedagogy of cruelty but also the possible spaces to build a safe landscape.

The structure of an uncertain world: Combining sequences classification and career life histories to identify narrative schemas in the careers of financial journalists

This article argues in favour of combining statistical sequence analysis with the study of biographical narratives to identify the underlying social structures in the unfolding of professional careers in particularly uncertain worlds. The careers of French financial journalists, whose professional world has been characterised by exceptional turbulence since the 1990s, are used as a case study. The article begins by describing the variety of relationships between trajectories and social structures in social science research that uses sequence analysis techniques. It then shows that by involving the interpretation of career life histories at each stage of sequence analysis, it is possible to highlight relevant regularities, even when trajectories unfold in contexts of high uncertainty. For this purpose, an optimal matching technique that calculates the dissimilarity between each pair of sequences is combined with an agglomeration technique that groups similar sequences into classes. The method is applied here to 297 sequences of professional activities of former and current financial journalists, reconstructed from the information they provided in the LinkedIn socio-professional network or in a professional directory. By comparing these regularities to the interpretations made by journalists in their 37 career life histories, the article examines three narrative schemas constructed by journalists to navigate an uncertain world and which have historically followed one another: the vocational schema, the gateway schema, and the decline schema. It thus describes the conditions for the emergence and decline of these schemas, which are linked not only to changing employment opportunities, but also to the ability of journalists to observe the traces left behind by the career paths of their counterparts.

Ethno-Cultural Identity Formation in Mapuche Youth Biographies: A Case Study from the Perspective of Colonial and Transgenerational Historical

In this paper, we present evidence from a case study exploring the intricate relationship between transgenerational historical and colonial trauma and the process of ethno-cultural identity formation among young Mapuche individuals residing in rural communities in Chile. Our analysis centers on two prominent themes derived from their personal narratives, shedding light on the intergenerational dynamics that significantly influence the current development of their ethno-cultural identities. These themes are the communication and transmission of family history and memory, and the valuation of Mapuche culture. Our methodology employs biographical narratives and adopts a grounded theory approach, specifically in its constructivist variant. The findings of this study reveal that the biographies of these young individuals reflect distinct elements of emotional impact and coping strategies linked to historical and colonial trauma, which are transmitted across generations. In one case, there appears to be a tendency to conceal family history, while in the other, active preservation of memory seems to underpin reflections on identity, belonging, and the appropriation of Mapuche culture. Furthermore, our analysis highlights the significance of emotional connections with family, as well as individual expectations and future aspirations, which play pivotal roles in shaping motivations and expressions concerning Mapuche ethno-cultural affiliation or disassociation. We contend that these intricate dynamics mediate the formation of ethno-cultural identity among Mapuche young people.

Beyond Hasidism: Tracing the Cultural Legacies of Israel Ba’al Shem Tov

Abstract While Israel Ba’al Shem Tov (the Besht) is traditionally considered the founder of Hasidism, modern scholarship has shown that the Hasidic movement emerged only in the decades following his death. This image of the Besht as the founder of Hasidism poses significant challenges in assessing his impact both during his lifetime and independently of the movement. This study seeks to extricate him from the Hasidic context that has historically defined him by analyzing four distinct types of traditions that preserve his cultural legacy—mystical pietistic teachings, kabbalistic intentional formulae (kavvanot), medico-magical recipes, and biographical narratives—and tracing their oral and written transmission histories. It argues that the initial dissemination of traditions attributed to the Besht both preceded and exceeded the Hasidic movement and that recognizing this fact allows for a better appreciation of his contributions to Jewish culture on their own terms, as well as a more accurate assessment of their subsequent influence on the Hasidic movement.

Research on Li Shangyin Outside Mainland China Since 2010

In the last decade, research on Li Shangyin's poetry outside mainland China has notably shifted away from the traditional biographical interpretation method of "knowing the authors life and analyzing the work." A select few of these papers critically scrutinize the historical facts associated with Li Shangyin, unveiling fallacies in past biographical narratives and challenging the veracity of certain deeds. The majority of recent articles take a departure from the biographical approach, choosing instead to delve directly into the imagery, poetic artistic conception, and writing skills inherent in the text. These article provide in-depth analysis of the meaning and use of language, vocabulary and literary allusion. In some of them, emphasis is placed on the emotional and aesthetic value of Li Shangyin's poetry, with some scholars even regarding its "incomprehensibility" as an achievement rather than a shortcoming. In general, "what does the text of poetry express" has become an more and more important question.

A well-rounded life: the story of Eva West – pioneer accountant, philanthropist and environmentalist

PurposeThis paper presents the biography of one of Australia’s earliest female accountants, Miss Evelyn Maude West (aka Eva). The paper uses this history sub-genre to understand the significant impacts Eva West made across several fields. Eva West was not only a pioneer woman accountant but also an active philanthropist with an interest in social issues and a nature lover who promoted and encouraged an appreciation of the environment.Design/methodology/approachThe paper leverages a diverse array of qualitative resources, responding to Carnegie and Napier's (1996) call to expand the concept of the accounting-based archive. Notably, rare nature study diaries and a book detailing camping adventures serve as poignant examples, illustrating Eva West's profound social and environmental engagement. Additionally, personal and business letters, digitised newspapers, pamphlets, annual reports, minute books and even poems contribute to the comprehensive exploration of Eva West's life and impact. Collectively, these varied sources offer a rich tapestry of evidence, facilitating the documentation of this unique narrative.FindingsThroughout her life, Eva West made significant contributions as a pioneering woman in the field of accounting, a dedicated philanthropist and a passionate environmentalist. Together, these offer a multifaceted portrait of a well-rounded individual. With a solid foundation in accounting, Eva utilized her expertise to benefit numerous charitable organisations, leaving a lasting impact on the community. Moreover, her deep love for the environment is illustrated in nature study diaries and books documenting her camping adventures, highlighting the interconnectedness between her accounting pursuits and her commitment to environmental stewardship.Practical implicationsWhile previous studies briefly mention the additional contributions of early women to various organisations and movements, none provide the depth of insight seen in the portrayal of Miss Eva West. Rather than critiquing these earlier narratives, this observation presents an opportunity for further research to honour pioneering individuals for their multifaceted roles beyond accounting. Future studies could spotlight trailblazers as accountants with diverse interests and societal contributions, whether in social or environmental spheres. Additionally, this paper demonstrates how archives maintained by individuals, such as nature or travel diaries and camping books, can enrich accounting and accountability-based historical research.Originality/valueBiographical studies in accounting have played a significant role in advancing historical research, yet there remains a call for additional studies to gain deeper insights into specific individuals. Few biographical narratives have explored how accountants integrate their professional careers with other interests, particularly highlighting the well-roundedness of individuals, especially women. Furthermore, this paper contributes to filling the gap in research that examines the intersection of accounting professionals and environmental concerns.

Жизненные сценарии и биографические нарративы: сравнительный анализ концептуальных моделей

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective </strong>of the research was to determine the criteria for differences in actual theoretical scenario models for the interpretation of "typical" and problematic situations that can be represented in biographical narratives.<br><strong>Background. </strong>In the “personality – group – society” system, individual and cultural life scenarios, formed and supported by families, educational systems and media as socialization institutions, participate in the intergenerational conveyance of values, in the processes of assimilation and reproduction of the norms of social and role behavior, in the construction of a system of identities, active and passive life philosophies. A subject’s established ideas and habitual strategies for interacting with other people are being destroyed in social situations of uncertainty, related as well to the Coronavirus pandemic and paramilitary confrontation in different countries. Consequently, the status of scenarios as dispositional predictors of subjective perception and understanding of oneself and others becomes debatable in social psychology under the conditions of conflict “crossing” of life contexts. <br><strong>Methodology. </strong>Structural and functional analysis of conceptual models that reflect the characteristics of individual and cultural life scenarios. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>Theoretical and methodological approaches to the concept of “scenario” differ in the attribution of stability-dynamism, as well as the ratio of individual specificity and social conditionality of the scenario.</p>

Blurring Reality and Blurring Gender: Fashion and Attire in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando

Abstract The aim of this paper is to investigate the interplay between narrative style, gender and fashion within Woolf’s Orlando. This study delves into how Woolf’s use of a biographical narrative approach in a fantasy novel facilitates the exploration of gender stereotypes and their subsequent blurring. In this regard, through a meticulous analysis of Orlando, Woolf ingeniously employs the biographical style to transcend traditional literary boundaries. This stylistic choice allows for a deliberate blurring of reality and fantasy, prompting a transformative narrative experience. Within this narrative framework, the significance of fashion and attire emerges as essential tools for challenging conventional gender norms: clothing serves as a powerful vehicle for destabilising preconceived notions of gender. By situating Orlando’s fluid identity and evolving gender presentation within the context of clothing choices, the novel portrays the malleability of gender constructs. The blurring of genders is skilfully intertwined with the blurring of reality, forging a narrative tapestry that offers profound insights into societal perceptions of identity. In conclusion, this paper illuminates how Woolf’s novel enables a thoughtprovoking exploration of gender stereotypes, ultimately advocating for a more inclusive and fluid understanding of identity through the lens of fashion and attire.

Формы PR-биографии в контексте жанровой системы

The aim of the research is to identify the main genre forms of the PR biography, their specificity in application, the features of interaction in communication processes and their effective utilization in PR activities. The paper examines the features of using fundamental forms of the PR biography such as summary biographies, story biographies, and narrative biographies, studying their properties in both theoretical and practical aspects. The scientific novelty lies in contributing to science through a comprehensive analysis of PR biographies as a tool for shaping public opinion and reputation management. This enriches the theoretical database of genres with new aspects of their structural-stylistic diversity and functionality. For the first time in the realm of Russian communicative culture, there has been an in-depth study of the relationships between various forms of PR biographies and their effectiveness in goal setting and achieving communicative tasks. Furthermore, the scientific novelty lies in the application of a comprehensive approach combining analytical, comparative, and empirical methods to assess the practical use of PR biographies, revealing new trends and techniques in creating this genre of texts not previously explored in scientific literature. This research emphasizes the importance of the PR biography genre in the context of communication strategies and public relations. The research findings show that PR biographies can take various forms and combine genre models, enhancing text perception efficiency through the use of established forms from the practice of public relations. In addition, mechanisms from other discourses, such as interviews, confessions, newspaper articles, and chronicles, are actively involved in PR biographies, highlighting the need for systematic text updating and maintenance to keep them current.

Biographically Anchored Liturgies as a Starting Point for Liturgical Formation

The liturgical professional development project for pastoral workers and clergy in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Liturgical Studies at the University of Tübingen. The concept of biographical learning is the innovative element that explores a new type of liturgical formation (Bildung) where the learning content explores the participant’s unique biography of learning, faith development, and theological education and the impact of these on their understanding of the liturgy and their liturgical practice. The learning process aims to equip professional pastoral theologians to reflect on and be responsive to the liturgical–pastoral contexts in which they work. The Department of Liturgical Studies provides the learning structure and context, while the diocese provides the teaching space and enables the participants to attend. The learning outcomes are unrelated to a specific professional or employment structure or associated with a points system, management, or career progression process. The project provides a learning process rather than a program of learning, distinguishing itself from many traditional approaches to liturgical formation. The challenge for the teaching team is to provide the participants with conceptual or theoretical material to reflect on their biographical narrative of theology and then apply this concept of biographical learning in their specific and diverse pastoral contexts. As part of the biographical learning process, participants contribute to “feedback loops” to the diocese and the teaching team. This paper does not address the competency framework for career development, employment assessment, or learning comprehension. All evaluations of professionalism, role attainment, career development, and competency are employment matters and are the purview of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. However, the learning process provides participants with frameworks for self-assessment and feedback loops to evaluate the teaching team, the process, and the content.

Enduring Places and Excavating Memories: Biographical Narratives of Delhi in Malvika Singh’s Perpetual City (2013)

ABSTRACT This article explores the narrative and memory patterns that underlie the evolution of city biography as a genre in the Indian literary context. The late 1970s and early 1980s witnessed a ‘spatial turn’, emphasising the ‘re-assertion of space’ across disciplines. This paradigmatic shift was characterised by a renewed focus on the concept of space in various fields of study. Besides, the publication of Nora’s lieux de mémoire marked the second wave of memory studies, and enabled the world to remember and reconstruct the national history tied to ‘sites’ of memory. However, in the Global South, especially in India, the memory lens did not affirm national history. This study delves into common thematic tropes within city biographies, contending that they offer narratives of resistance to mainstream city writings. Biographers draw on autobiographical memory, shaping narratives of reconstruction, marginality, and absence/presence as everyday forms of resistance. Furthermore, by analysing Perpetual City: A Short Biography of Delhi (2013), the article posits ‘superposition’ alongside the prevalent way of approaching the city as palimpsest. This textual exploration shifts the focus from the city’s physical or represented aspects to the city biographer’s simultaneous awareness of several historical layers, presenting Delhi in a continuum marked by both ruptures and continuities.