Re: narrative

BPenuel who-is-at aol.com
Thu, 2 May 1996 08:16:21 -0400

Patricio writes:

"Isn't it possible to combine narrative analysis of the
self with Bakhtin's idea on heteroglossia, especially using the concept of
dialogism, to understand how the self (or selves) relates to the larger
social context?"

In part several researchers have attempted to understand identity formation
in more dialogic terms--Charles Taylor (in _Multiculturalism and the politics
of recognition_); Hermans and Kempen (in _The Dialogical Self_); E.E. Sampson
(in _Celebrating the Other_); and also Mary Watkins (_Invisible guests_) to
name a few. Also, Jay's book _Textual politics_ deals with this issue
directly.

I think Jay's point, though, is that narrative, to frame it in Bakhtin's
terms, is but one speech genre that shapes identity processes. Identities
are also built in everyday conversation (John Shotter) and significantly
through arguing with others, having to persuade them of something.

In my dissertation, I looked at dialogism, particularly the _addressivity_ of
utterances, as a way of understanding identity processes within an
argumentative context. In that study, I examined utterances participants
made in an activity designed to promote respect for cultural differences.
Very few narratives were told, but the kind of addressivity is the kind
Patricio hints at is quite evident. Participants tend to address not only
the "local" voices of the immediate context, but also "cultural voices" which
may or may not be immediately present. For example, European Americans might
argue "We're not all racist." In part, this is a _claim_ about one's group
identity, made as if to persuade others (non-European Americans in this case)
that their identities are_not_ tied up in racist beliefs, practices, etc.

I'm not sure from where these arguments "emanate." I am less willing to
posit a self standing "behind" this rhetorical activity; however, it seems to
me that cultural practices and local activity contexts both provide cultural
tools for identity formation, and it is up to subjects to recruit them for
their local purposes and to be recruited by them in activities, and to
_organize_ those resources in some way. Not always are these organizations
coherent, nor are they completely random across activity. As Jay has
mentioned here before, quite a bit of "work" gets done in fashioning the
"Western self"!

Bill Penuel
_____________________
PreventionInventions
PO Box 40692
Nashville TN 37204