Social Representations Theory and young Africans' creative narratives about human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, 1997–2014

Abstract

Research on social representations (SRs) has often focused more on categorical than narrative‐based representations. However, narratives are considered to play a key role in the organization of SRs. This article describes an empirical study of some 2000 creative narratives about human immunodeficiency virus written by young Africans from five countries between 1997 and 2014 and examines the theoretical, methodological and applied relevance of Social Representations Theory (SRT) for this study and the implications of the study for the intersection between narrative and SRT. The study is unusual within the SR paradigm: it is temporal and cross‐national; addresses a subject whose science has evolved over time; and uses creative narratives as its data source. A narrative perspective foregrounds holistic understandings of SRs as systems of thought. Creative narratives fit well within an SR framework. Our triangulating methodologies foreground categorical or narrative dimensions depending on the objectives of specific sub‐studies. Central Core Theory provides a framework to articulate stability and change within narrative representations. In creative narrative, objectification also happens at the level of plot and characters, such that dominant cultural narratives can be viewed as a form of hegemonic SR. We link with health communication and embrace more critical streams within SR research.

Where does research design fall short? Mental health related‐stigma as example

“…This has at times led to the misassumption that individual forms of representation should faithfully mirror macro‐social processes. For example, Winskell (2021) considered social representations to be the internalisation of ‘ culture‐in‐the‐world’ to ‘culture‐in‐the‐mind’ ” (Winskell, 2021). Instead, we engage Marková’s (2012) proposal that social representations are the “ formation and transformation of meanings, knowledge, and actions of complex social phenomena… in and through communication and culture (Marková, 2012; p. 1).…”

“…Specifically, given the situatedness of the public's sense‐making processes, it is unclear how useful the broad statements these programs make are for engaging with the complexity of the public's behaviours. However, this is not a call to retreat to the ‘disinterested’ research attitude researchers have increasingly moved away from (Foster, 2011; Howarth, 2006; Winskell, 2021). Rather, on account of their methodological and conceptual knowledge, we contend that socio‐psychological oriented researchers can generate impact through rich accounts of how social behaviours are realized in context (Jovchelovitch, 2019).…”

Some ways of doing narrative research.

“…Global Dialogues organized local juries to pick the best scripts submitted. At least 39 films have been developed from these scripts, and an archive of more than 75,000 narratives was created (Winskell, 2020). This massive narrative data source has begun to be explored to develop an understanding of how different groups of young Africans make sense of HIV/AIDS.…”

Same old story of good cop–bad cop? A narrative approach to social representations of the police's role in addressing gender‐based violence in Indian gender advocacy

“…There is much overlap between SRs and narratives as people interpret new phenomena through old stories and stories help explicate the world on an individual and social level, acting as mechanisms for anchoring and objectification (Jovchelovitch, 2012; Lázló, 1997). Winskell (2021) argues that narratives and SRs constitute each other reciprocally and dominant cultural narratives can be considered a form of hegemonic SRs. She also emphasizes that in narrative data, objectification happens at the level of plots, characters and messaging.…”