The stories we tell about ourselves are as diverse and rich as the people who tell them. Yet, the ways we tell those stories often follow familiar patterns. Why is that? And how can we innovate beyond these conventions to energize both the reader and the storyteller? This creative-critical seminar invites undergraduates to explore narrative identity theory through the study and practice of storytelling. Our focus will be on how lyric and narrative strategies can bring new vitality to personal "life stories." We will engage with three remarkable works that challenge traditional forms and offer fresh possibilities. We will also consider how life stories shape and express identity, examining the dynamic interplay between personal experience and cultural frameworks. Key topics include the role of storytelling in identity formation, the influence of cultural expectations on personal narratives, and the power of narratives alternative to dominant/conventional ones to better articulate the self. Students will engage with literary analysis, cultural critiques, and storytelling theory to deepen their understanding of how identities are crafted and communicated. Through discussions, critical analyses, and creative exercises, participants will experiment with narrating their own life stories while interrogating the influence of culture, memory, and imagination. This seminar encourages reflection on the paradox of belonging and self-expression, offering tools to expand and reimagine personal and collective identities. By the end of the course, students will have developed a nuanced understanding of storytelling as a means of self-discovery and social engagement, as well as honed their own narrative voices.
3 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit · GER: WAY-CE
The stories we tell about ourselves are as diverse and rich as the people who tell them. Yet, the ways we tell those stories often follow familiar patterns. Why is that? And how can we innovate beyond these conventions to energize both the reader and the storyteller? This creative-critical seminar invites undergraduates to explore narrative identity theory through the study and practice of storytelling. Our focus will be on how lyric and narrative strategies can bring new vitality to personal "life stories." We will engage with three remarkable works that challenge traditional forms and offer fresh possibilities. We will also consider how life stories shape and express identity, examining the dynamic interplay between personal experience and cultural frameworks. Key topics include the role of storytelling in identity formation, the influence of cultural expectations on personal narratives, and the power of narratives alternative to dominant/conventional ones to better articulate the self. Students will engage with literary analysis, cultural critiques, and storytelling theory to deepen their understanding of how identities are crafted and communicated. Through discussions, critical analyses, and creative exercises, participants will experiment with narrating their own life stories while interrogating the influence of culture, memory, and imagination. This seminar encourages reflection on the paradox of belonging and self-expression, offering tools to expand and reimagine personal and collective identities. By the end of the course, students will have developed a nuanced understanding of storytelling as a means of self-discovery and social engagement, as well as honed their own narrative voices.
Offered in Winter 2027 at Stanford University.