Taking Narrative Risk

Lori L. Montalbano-Phelps is Assistant Professor of Communication and Women's Studies in Communication and Women's Studies at Indiana University Northwest. Professor Montalbano-Phelps holds a doctorate in Speech Communication for Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

This powerful book recounts the process of a study that examines personal narratives of abuse survivors by assessing the relationship between narration and teller empowerment.

Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Introduction to the Study: Sharing Personal Narratives; Personal Narratives and Change Chapter 3 Methodological Procedure: Introduction; Methodological Assumptions and Precautions; Research precautions; Performance as a Method of Inquiry; Methodology; The Interview Environment; Participants in the Study; Conducting Interviews; Procedure Chapter 4 Coding the Narratives: Coding; Analysis; Themes of Disempowerment Which Perpetuate Silence; Themes of Empowerment which Can Facilitate Change; Discussion Chapter 5 Personal Narratives and Change: Narrative Sensemaking; Survivor Discourse; Use of Themes; The Nature of the Discourse; Discussion; Performance Strategies; Characterization: Positioning the Players; Convincing Story Line; Setting the State for Transc Chapter 6 Understanding Personal Narratives Through Re-Performance: Introduction; Performance Objectives; Pursuing Performance Objectives; Staging Performance Text; Performance and Re-Performance: Areas of Convergence and Performance Knowledge Gained; Discuss Chapter 7 Conclusions: Narrative Risk and the Telling of Abuse Survivor; Narratives; The Impact of the Telling; Re-Performance of Survivor Narratives; Discussion; Implications for Future Research Chapter 8 Bibliography Chapter 9 Index