[Commlist] CFP "Narrative practices for Peace and Cohesion" /Funes. Journal of Narratives and Social Sciences n. 10-2026

*FUNES. JOURNAL OF NARRATIVES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES **Vol. 10 - 2027 *
<https://serena.sharepress.it/funes/>

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*CFP*

*Narrative Practices for Peace and Social Cohesion *

Editors: Giulia Levi (Derby University), Daniele Nuccilli (Vytautas 
Magnus University), Valentina Fedele (Link University)


Across the world, the growth of ethno-nationalism and far-right politics 
has intensified the circulation of divisive narratives that fuel fear, 
reinforce stereotypes, and normalise exclusion and violence. Narratives 
play a powerful role in shaping identities, perceptions of belonging, 
and understandings of the past and present. They can be mobilised to 
produce and reinforce processes of othering, reproduce social 
boundaries, and legitimise exclusionary political agendas. Such 
narratives can also contribute to the dehumanisation of groups and, in 
extreme cases, lead to the justification of mass violence. Against this 
backdrop, this issue of Funes is driven by the urgency to further 
explore the potential of narratives to work in the opposite direction: 
how can narratives become tools to foster peace, promote social cohesion 
and counter hegemonic discourses in the highly polarised world we live 
in? This issue is particularly interested in grassroot practices aimed 
at challenging dominant representations, creating opportunities for 
encounters across difference, and promoting alternative ways of 
imagining social and political relationships. Research from 
post-conflict societies marked by war and mass violence has examined 
narrative practices as forms of strategic peacebuilding (Lederach and 
Appleby, 2010), for example exploring civil society organisations’ 
attempts in developing persuasive stories to cultivate empathy, critical 
reflection, and mutual recognition across lines of division. While 
simplified and essentialised narratives often fuel conflict, scholars 
argue that peacebuilding narratives need to embrace complexity (Cobb, 
2013). Positive stories of coexistence, solidarity, and cooperation 
across ethnic or political divides can be powerful tools to favour 
dialogue by moving beyond rigid distinctions between victims and 
perpetrators (Bravo, 2013). At the same time, opening spaces in which 
different stories can coexist can be more effective in bringing people 
together than trying to impose a single shared narrative (Adwan and 
Bar-On, 2004, Fairey 2024). The potential of narratives in bridging 
divisions extends well beyond contexts with experience of armed 
conflict. In societies marked by historical injustices, racialised 
inequalities or migration-related tensions, grassroot actors can use 
narratives to challenge existing power structures and facilitate 
dialogue over contentious topics. The study of narratives has emphasised 
the importance of positionality (Yuval Davis 2006) to challenge power 
relations by drawing attention to who tells the story and whose stories 
are heard. For example, narratives produced by individuals with lived 
experience of migration, rather than by members of the host society, can 
favour empathy and positive change in migrant perception (Gebauer, 
Sommer 2020, Vollmer 2025). In post-colonial settings, literature and 
storytelling can be tools for marginalised communities to reclaim 
agency, silenced histories and raise awareness on structural racism and 
persisting inequalities (Mukherjee 2025). Focussing on the 
transformative potential of narratives across the universal human 
experience of social bridge-building, this issue of Funes seeks to bring 
together theoretical, empirical and practice-based perspectives on the 
diverse ways in which civil society actors attempt to change the story 
in contexts characterised by different degrees of conflict, inequality 
and exclusion. Recognising that such potential is deeply contextual, 
this issue draws on a multiplicity of experiences and perspectives to 
further the exploration of the factors that make narratives for peace 
and social cohesion succeed as a mechanism for social change (Davis 
2002, Mengoni 2022) while inviting critical examination of the processes 
through which alternative narratives are produced, circulated, 
negotiated and received. We welcome contributions addressing, but not 
limited to: ● Art and creative practices: the use of visual arts, 
performance, film, exhibitions, participatory arts and other creative 
practices to challenge divisive narratives. ● Memory and the past: how 
oral history, commemorations, museums, archives and other memory 
practices are used to deal with divisions in the present. ● Education 
and intergenerational practices: narrative approaches used in schools, 
community education and work with younger generations. ● Measuring and 
understanding impact: how can we assess whether and how narrative 
interventions contribute to changes in attitudes, relationships, 
practices or wider social structures? ● Unintended consequences and 
limitations: critical reflections on the assumptions, contradictions and 
potential harms of initiatives aimed at promoting “positive” narratives. 
When does creating a space for alternative stories lead to meaningful 
change, and when might it remain largely symbolic? ● Collaboration 
between research and practice: examples of partnerships between 
academics, civil society organisations, artists, educators and 
policymakers. Alongside academic researchers, we particularly encourage 
submissions from civil society practitioners, activists, artists, and 
educators. We encourage papers that challenge the dominance of Western 
perspectives and foreground diverse cultural, historical, and societal 
understandings.


*Main references *Adwan, S. and Bar-On, D., 2004. Shared history 
project: A PRIME example of peace-building under fire. /International 
Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society/, /17/(3), pp.513-521. Bravo, 
A., 2013. /La conta dei salvati: Dalla Grande Guerra al Tibet: storie di 
sangue risparmiato/. Gius. Laterza & Figli Spa. Cobb, S.B., 2013. 
/Speaking of violence: The politics and poetics of narrative in conflict 
resolution/. Oxford University Press. Davis, J.E., 2002. Narrative and 
social movements. /Stories of change: Narrative and social movements/, 
/3/, pp.3-29. Fairey, T., 2024. Peace is possible: The role of strategic 
narratives in peacebuilding. /Media, War & Conflict/, /17/(1), pp.3-22. 
Gebauer, C., and Sommer, R., 2023. Beyond Vicarious Story-Telling. How 
Level Telling Fields Help Create a Fair Narrative on Migration. 
https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope. 15434.1. Lederach, J.P. and 
Appleby, R.S., 2010. Strategic peacebuilding: An overview. /Strategies 
of peace: Transforming conflict in a violent world/, pp.19-44. Mangone, 
E., 2022. Narratives and social change. /Social Reality in Contemporary 
Society. Cham: Springer/. Mukherjee, D., 2025. Postcolonial narratives 
and identity formation in contemporary literature. /International 
Journal of Social Impact/, /10/(2), pp.142-150. Vollmer, B., Rheindorf, 
M., Güell, B., Pogliano, A. and Frisina, A., 2025. Changing the story: 
the production of alternative narratives on migration. /Journal of 
Ethnic and Migration Studies/, /51/(16), pp.4157-4180. Yuval-Davis, N., 
2006. Belonging and the politics of belonging. /Patterns of prejudice/, 
/40/(3), pp.197-214.

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*SUBMISSION:*

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  Abstract Submission deadline: 10/11/2026, 23:59 Please send your 
abstract to both: (atelier.funes /at/ gmail.com) and (g.levi /at/ derby.co.uk) 
Abstracts, in English, should not exceed 200 words (excluding 
references). We welcome contributions in English, French, Spanish, and 
Italian.

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*Notification to the authors: *01/12/2026

Articles submission deadline: 28/02/ 2027 at 23:59 Please respect the 
authors guidelines : https://serena.sharepress.it/funes/about/submissions

Papers that not respect the editorial norms will be rejected

*Articles assessment*: 30/04/2027

*Final version submission*: 15/06/2027

*Online publication*: July 2027


FUNES is a Creative Commons Open Access - double blind peer review journal.

No fees asked for publishing
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