Narrative patterns in cognition, cultures and societies. A systemic approach for the dialogue between disciplines

Purpose and goal

The aim is to propose a framework for narrative studies that can be shared among various disciplines, fostering the dialogue between different paradigms from literature and media studies, to cognitive sciences, social sciences and ICT. In particular, I will test the extent to which systems theory can illuminate the affordances and limits of narrative theory and analysis, developing a set of practical tools (operative rules, grids and guidelines) that can be used to avoid superficial analogies between disciplines, which can be harmful in their practical consequences.

Results and expected effects

The tools developed can be put to different uses: in social sciences (ethnography; children and youth research) to fine tune the collection of data through interviews and the interpretations of life stories; in entertainment and advertising industry, to design engaging interactive technologies and to coordinate audience engagement across media thanks to narrative techniques arising curiosity or suspense; in artificial intelligence research, to implement the design of more socially believable virtual agents, using cognitive strategies informed by narrative patterns.

Approach and implementation

Beside the theoretical research, I will be in constant dialogue with scholars for whom narrative is an object of analysis or an instrument for inquiry encountered on a daily basis in their work. I will rely on informal dialogues as well as on seminars and focus groups organized with scholars from the departments of Literature, Media Studies, Philosophy, Computer and Systems Sciences, Child and Youth Studies, and the Mobile Life Center. The interdisciplinary dialogue is necessary to keep track of the plausibility and effective deployment of the tools developed.