The Art and Practice of Storytelling for Change

Are you an aspiring educator, journalist, dramatist, social media manager or community organizer? All these positions and more require an understanding of how to utilize the power of storytelling. This course is designed to bring historical events, figures, cultures, communities, and contemporary issues to life through the sharing of personal narrative. For centuries storytelling has been the building blocks of human communication. Effective storytelling can mobilize, can heal, can incite action and bridge divides. Students will investigate the ways in which storytelling can mediate the examination of sensitive topics, support advocacy and reform efforts, and elevate the perspective of those groups who have systematically been marginalized. We will explore the ethics and practice of using personal narratives to inspire more multidimensional world views that stimulate deeper understanding of complex issues. By mining those matters of the heart, we breath humanity into topics we care about in ways where other forms of communication fall short.