Narrative Analysis workshop overview Michael Bamberg + Alexandra Georgakopoulou Morning –Different Approaches –Life Stories –Life Events –Small Stories –Betty Tells her Story –The Davie Hogan Story Afternoon –Conceptualizing “small stories” & ‘Positioning Analysis’ –Working with “small stories” in groups –Reconvening: Final dscussion

Workshop Focus: SMALL Stories Stories –that go unnoticed –that are embedded –often not very ‘tellable’ –co-constructed with others (more than one teller) –Several moral stances –uncertain re linearity (temporal + causal order) THE BUIDING BLOCKS FOR LIFE EVENT STORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES

SMALL STORY # 1: Topic: gay kids at school J: actually I know a few of them I don’t know them but I’ve seen them Ed how can you tell they’re gay Alex yeah you can’t really tell J: no like how do I know they’re gay Ed yeah J: well he’s an 11th grade student the kid I know I’m not gonna mention names Ed alright who are they (raising both hands up) J: okay um and I’m in a class with mostly 11th graders Josh: and his name is (rising intonation)

ah and and ah and um a girl who is umm very honest and nice she has she has a locker right next to him and she said he talked about how he is gay a lot when she’s there not with her like um so that’s how I know and he um associates with um a lot of girls not many boys a lot of the a few of the gay kids at Cassidy

Small Story # 2 Linda used to call me her little honey before BIL: My ex-girlfriend had like 12 ex-ex-ex-ex boyfriends She had 12 of them and she takes// the good stuff and she brakes up After VIC: But she was tall when she was in preschool she was like// BIL: She is short now VIC: No she is huge - Heidi Olson? BIL: Yes to you

Linda used to call me her little honey for some strange reason We used to go to preschool together, right And there was that big mat In the little in the reading area And I used to like get there wicked early Coz my dad used to work for the city, right And I used to hide in that pillow So Linda couldn’t find me, right And she used to run up there And she used to pounce on the ball She said Victor I’M GONNA FIND YOU And the I just sit there going oughhhh

Betty tells her story but she tells the same story twice Betty is invited to the Governor’s Ball She buys the MOST beautiful dress - one that makes her feel she’s never felt before Then she loses the dress And with the dress she loses that particular kind of feeling

Stories about others: the Davie Hogan story Positioning with Davie Hogan. Stories, Tellings & Identities. In C. Daiute & C. Lightfoot (Eds.), Narrative analysis: Studying the development of individuals in society. London: Sage. (2003) ABOUT: “it’s about a pie-eating contest” “this kid is our age but he’s fat, real fat” “this fat kid that nobody likes named Davie Hogan” “the greatest revenge idea a kid ever had”