E100.4 Public Narrative, Collective Action, and Power

This podcast examines an excerpt from a scholarly article by Marshall Ganz titled "Public Narrative, Collective Action, and Power," published in 2011 and made available through Harvard University's DASH repository. The core argument explores how organized collective action, or social movements, requires leadership capable of mobilizing publics for political change under conditions of uncertainty. Specifically, the article examines the practice of "public narrative," which is described as a leadership art that translates shared values into motivation and action. Public narrative is broken down into three crucial elements: the Story of Self (values that move the leader), the Story of Us (shared values and experiences of the community), and the Story of Now (the urgent challenge demanding action). This narrative framework uses emotion and storytelling to counter action inhibitors like inertia and apathy, ultimately inspiring courage, hope, and solidarity to achieve a common purpose.