Beyond the “single story”: experimenting with narrative and counter-narrative techniques for a critical approach in schools

Abstract

This article examines the experience of implementing a narrative and counter-narrative approach as a methodological alternative within a critical ethnography on the relationships between schools and families. It is motivated by the possibility of generating inclusive research practices and go beyond the reproductive frameworks that have dominated educational research and public policies. After a literature review and initial empirical findings in two schools (Santiago, Chile), we articulated and applied three techniques: embodied interview, biographical questions, and a projective-creative activity. These techniques view individuals as narrative agents and aimed to facilitate and trigger the stories of the participants within the research framework. The article presents characteristics of the (counter) narratives based on the readings, then describes the details and analysis of each technique and its implementation. Finally, lessons learned are discussed, leading to the conclusion that the approach is applicable to both individual and collective contexts, consisting of critical, confrontational, subjective, contextual, and processual records, with potential for further replication in qualitative research.