EngagingNarrativesforPeace&Security:
ReflectionsontheCaseofHumanMigration
September28,2017
PartnersGlobalandAllianceforPeacebuilding
1800MassachusettsAveNWSuite401
WashingtonD.C.20036
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OnSeptember28,2017,expertsfromanarrayofsectorsconvenedatPartnersGlobalandtheAllianceforPeacebuildingofficesforafollow-upmeetingto“EngagingNarratives:TheNew(Old)Battlefield.”TheoriginalconferencetookplaceattheElliottSchoolinMayof2017,andthisgatheringrepresentedacontinuedcommitmenttobuildingbridgesacrosssectorstoexploretheimportanceandpowerofnarratives.LeadersandexpertsfromtheDepartmentofDefense,otherU.S.Governmentagencies,nongovernmentalorganizations,industry,andacademiaattended.
Thisdocumentwascreatedtoserveasarecordofwhatwasdiscussedforfuturereferenceandtohelpmaintainfocusasweworktowardcommongoalswithinourrespectivesectors.
Wehaveincludedparticipants’contactinformationasavailable,andencouragecontinueddiscussionandcollaboration.
Aftersharingourstories,researchandexperience,andafterengagingeachotherinactivediscussionsovertwodaysattheElliottSchoolofInternationalAffairsatGeorgeWashingtonUniversity,weagreeupontheseguidingprinciples:
§ Thatweeachhavecriticalperspectivestooffer,basedonouruniqueexperiences,outlooks,andfieldsofinterest.
§ Thatimprovingthewaywetellstoriesrequiresapurposeful,dedicatedeffortinformedbythebestresearch,appliedscience,andlessonsfrompractitionersinthefield.
§ Thatoursharedstoriesbecomestrongerthroughexchangeamongdiverseindividuals,functions,sectors,andcommunities.
§ Thatwemustallbeadvocatesatourorganizationsandinourfieldsforasustainedcommitmenttobringinganunderstandingofnarrativetoeverythingwedo.
§ Thatcommunicationatandacrossalllevelsiskeytoworkingtogethereffectivelyonsharednarratives.
Finally,webelievethatthecontinuedcollaborationofadiverseandengagedNarrativescommunityisessential,andwewillstrivetonurturethiscommunityandthesharingofinformationandpracticeasweprepareforthefuture.
MAY24,2017
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Welcome&UpdateonNarrativesforPeace
TheworkshopbeganwithanupdateandintroductionfromAllianceforPeacebuildingCEOMelanieGreenbergandPartnersGlobalPresidentJuliaRoig.
Melanieexpressedthatthepeacebuildingcommunitymasterfullytellsstoriesabouttheirownsector,andknowshowtousestoriestoaffectpolicymakers.However,agappersistsincivil-militarydialogueregardingconflictnarratives.
Weoftenusephrasesthatdehumanizerefugees.Commonlyutilizedexpressionsreferto“wavesofhumanmigration,”“stormingborders,”and“floodsofrefugees.”Howdowere-centerhumanexperiencesandstoriesinthisdiscussion?
Melaniestressedthatsocietydiscussesthecostofacceptingrefugeesintoourcommunities,butneveraddressesthecostofrestrictingtheflowofpeople.Whatdoweloseintermsofideas,capacity,andcapabilitywhenwedon’tallowforimmigrationorrefugeeresettlement?
Additionally,itistimetore-centerthisconversationtotherootcausesofhumanmigration,andtohumanizethosewhohavebeenforcedtofleefromtheirhomes.
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UpdateonDepartmentofDefenseEffortstoUnderstandandEngageNarrativesAndrewKostrub
AndrewKostrub,oftheCollaborativeandAdaptiveSecurityInitiative,presentedontherediscoveryoftheimportanceofnarrativewithintheDepartmentofDefense(DoD).AndrewreportedthatmanyatDoDtookarenewedinterestinnarrativewhilestrugglingtocombatISISrecruitingmethods.TheU.S.GovernmentexplicitlyexaminednarrativestrategyinApril2015attheWhiteHouseSummittoCounterViolentExtremism(CVE),whichledtothepublicationofajointstrategyonCVEbytheU.S.DepartmentofStateandtheU.S.AgencyforInternationalDevelopment(USAID).
DoDhasstruggledtocombatenemynarratives,exposingatensionbetweentheviewthatDoD’sinterestinnarrativesislimitedtosupportingmilitaryoperations,andtheviewthateverythingDoDdoesisinserviceofagreaternarrative.SomehavecalledforarevampedUnitedStatesInformationAgency(USIA).USIAplayedacriticalroleininformationoperationsthroughouttheColdWar,defendingagainstpropagandaefforts.Thishasbecomeincreasinglyrelevantincurrenttimes.
ThemilitarydoesnotutilizethesameterminologyastheNGOsector.DoDdoesnotusetheterm“narrative”perse.Theyrefertothesameconceptasthe“informationenvironment.”
AndrewclarifiedthatDoDdoesnotseektoweaponizenarratives.Theyareattemptingtounderstandthenarrativesthatconflictcreates.Warbegetsanarrativeorcognitiveoutcome,andthemilitarymusthaveaholisticunderstandingofittoattainagreaterunderstandingofitsimpact.
Theimportanceofnarrativehasbecomeincreasinglyapparentwithinthemilitary.Andrewexplainedthatthishasbeenreflectedinformalstrategy.Themilitaryhasjointconceptsthatmustbeadoptedacrossallbranches.InOctober2016,DoDpublishedaJointConceptestablishingwarasahumanactivity.Thefollowingyear,themilitaryaddedtheJointConceptforIntegratedCampaigning,andthisyear,theJointConceptforOperationsintheInformationEnvironment.ThisreflectsanexplicitfocusontheeffectofnarrativeacrossallDoDfunctions.
AndrewconcludedbydiscussinganupdatemadetomilitarydoctrineinSeptember2017,describing“information”asaseventhjointfunction.JointFunctionscharacterizethemostintegralmovesand
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actionsofthemilitary,suchasmaneuver,intelligence,andsustainment.Theadditionofinformationreinforcestheimportanceofnarrativetoallmilitaryoperations.Bothdefeatoftheadversaryandpreventionofconflict,bywhatevermechanism,arecognitiveoutcomes.Thus,narrativeiscriticaltoachievingapositiveoutcomeinwar.
However,therehavebeenchallengesintegratingthisinitiativeacrossDoD.Currentoperationstypicallyregardnarrativeasanafterthought.Therecentadditionof“information”tothejointfunctionswilldriveDoDtointegratethisconceptintoalloperations.
Andrewfurtherclarifiedthatthemilitaryseekstoattain“enduringstrategicoutcomes”inallactions,essentiallyreferringtoconditionsthattheUnitedStateswouldconsidergenerallyfavorablepostconflict.DoDdoesnotreferto“wins.”Themilitarycannotachieve“enduringstrategicoutcomes”withoutanexplicitfocusonnarratives.
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IgniteTalks
ChrisBoianSeniorCommunicationsOfficer,UNHighCommissionforRefugees(UNHCR)ChrisbeganbyscreeningtwovideoscreatedbyUNHCRinanattempttoalterthenarrativeofrefugees.Thevideoseries,title“TheLandisYourLand,”profilesarchetypalAmericanswhohavedevelopedpersonalrelationshipswithrefugeesorworkcloselyontheissue.
Chrisassertedthattherehasbeenaconflationbetweenrefugeesandsecuritythreats.UNHCRhasfocusedonattemptingtodisentanglethetwoandrefocusonhumanitarianconcerns.Thecoremessageofthevideocampaigncommunicatesthefollowing:“IamAmerican.Icareaboutthesafetyofmyfamily,andIwanttohelprefugees.Thetwoarenotincompatible.WelcomingothersisacentraltenantofAmericanidentity.”
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AbdallahHendawyEgyptianActivistAbdallahhasabackgroundinbothsociologyandactivism.HegrewupinEgyptandrecountedhisexperiencethroughouttheEgyptianrevolution.Twoofhisclosefriendslostfamilyintherevolution.OneturnedtoISILandviolentextremism;theotherdidnot.Bothhadsimilargoals--theywantedtomaketheircountryabetterplace.Yet,differentnarrativesfocusedonthesamesetofeventscausedeachpersontotakeadivergentpathinlife.
Abdallahassertedthatnarrativesarenotastaticsetofideas.Theyareliving,transferrable,reproducible,andflexible.Likealivingorganism,theypenetrateourmindsandmovefromonebraintoanotherrathereasily.
Asaresult,wemustadoptanindividualizedapproachtoderadicalization.Abdullah’sfriendslivedverysimilarlivesearly-on,butdifferentnarrativesmanagedtobecomedominantintheirminds.Noonegeneralizedapproachcouldhaveaddressedbothpeople.
BryanPelleyEVPofCustomerSolutions,ProtagonistBryanstartedhistalkbydiscussingthedivisiveUSPresidentialelectionin2016.TheelectionbroughtdifferentnarrativestotheforefrontoftheAmericandialogue.Challengingissueshavebecomeincreasinglypolarized,anddifficulttodiscuss.
Bryanstressedtheneedtobeawareoftheunintendedconsequencesofouractionsandmessaging.Youcannotcontrolamessageonceithasbeenreleased.Singularnarrativesdonotexist,everythingoccursinanarrativelandscapewheredifferentstoriesandmessagesinteractwithoneanother.
Protagonistbelievesdataanalyticscanhelpusunderstandnarrativesinamoreconcreteway.Quantifiablefactorsallowustoobjectivelydeterminewhyonemessagemaybestrongerthananother.Protagonistconductsthisresearchandthenhelpsadviseclientsastowhichmessageswill“stick.”
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RogerSchankChairmanandCEOofSocraticArtsRogerfirstexplainedthetechnologicalplatformthathehasbeendeveloping.Rogerhasconceptualizedavideolibraryinwhichpeoplecansearchforinformationonanissueandautomaticallygainaccesstocontentfromexpertsonthetopic.Rogerbelievesthatwhenutilizingnarrativesandstories,timingiscritical.Thenarrativemustaddressapressingissueathandinordertobesalient.Thetechnicalissueistomatchstoriestosituations,somethingthatcanbedoneusingAIindexingtechniques.Inthisway,relevantstoriesappeartouserswhoareworkingonaproblem,automaticallyandjustintime
Rogerfurtherassertedthatanarrativemustbedistinguishedfromanattemptto“sell”aparticularproductorviewpoint.Authenticityiscriticalbecausehumanbeingsinherentlyenjoyconnectingwithoneanotherthroughstories.Artificialmanipulationsofstoriesfailtoeffectivelypenetratepeople’smindsoropinions.
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BreakOutDiscussionsFollowingtheIgnitetalks,participantsdeterminedwhichtopicstheywantedtodiscussingreaterdetail.Thisledtotheestablishmentofthreesmallerdiscussion
groups,eachofwhicharesummarizedbelow.
RadicalNarratives,Values,andCivicActionSomenarrativescanbelethal.Howdowebalancenarrativesthatcouldbepotentiallydangerouswithnarrativesthatwesimplydisagreewith?Whereisthatline?
Althoughnotallnarrativesmaybevalid,allpeopleare.Harmfulnarrativesexist,butwecannotcriminalizethought.Thegroupdeterminedthatultimatelythedominantnarrativedoesnotmatter.Rather,theharmfulactionsthatonemaytakebasedonthenarrativeshouldberegulatedorprevented.
Lastly,thegroupdiscussedthevalueofengagingwithothernarratives.Nopersonwillhaveacompletechangeofopinion,butengagingmayhelpslightlyshifttheirperception.Thishasbecomeincreasinglyimportantgiventhesiloednatureofonlineactivity.Wemustseekoutalternativenarrativesandengageindialoguewiththosedifferentfromus.
Ø Adversariesmaybelievethattheyareincompletedisagreementwithoneanother,andtotallydissimilar.Astorymayhelpusfindsomepointsofconnectionthatcanslightlyshiftperceptions.
Ø Theinternetallowsforvalidationof(sometimesderanged)beliefs.Theplatformswherethisoccurshavenottakenresponsibilityfortheperpetuationofpropagandaandfalseinformation.
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UseofNarrativeinCounteringViolentExtremismThisgroupfirstestablishedthatnarrativesmustbelocalizedandcontextualized.Thelandscapeofviolentextremismmustbeunderstoodbeforedeployinganarrativetoeffectivelycombatit.Forexample,intheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica,manypeoplebelievethattheconditionstheylivewithexistbecauseofUnitedStatespolicyandintervention.EveryactionthattheUnitedStatestakesintheregionisseenthroughthelensofthatexistingnarrative.
Nevertheless,thereareuniversalthemesthatshouldinformstrategyinavarietyofcontexts.Theseincludelackofcommunitycohesion,unmetexpectations,andthefeelingthatviolenceistheonlyalternative.Thegroupagreedthatadvocatesshouldmoveawayfromsimplisticappealstoeconomicgain.Peoplecraveasenseofpurpose-howdowefulfillthat?
Ø Theframingofanarrativeisimportant.Isitreligious?Isitanappealtoeconomicdespair?Whatkindofeffectdoesthathaveontherelationshipbetweenciviliansandgovernments?Weneedtofindtheoptimalformofframing.
Ø Bothdigitalandpeople-to-peoplemethodscanandshouldbeutilizedtocreatedialogue.Wemustn’trelyontheinternet.
UncoveringNarrativesandtheExperienceofProtagonistProtagonistaimstoextractnarrativesfromagivenissuearea,andconvertthemintoeasilyunderstandabletalkingpointsforleaders.Itoperatesinboththeprivateandpublicsectors,assistinggovernmentofficialsandleadersofFortune500companies.Protagonistusesharddatatotrackchangesinthisspaceandresearcheffectivestrategies.
ThisgroupthendiscussedrisingtribalismandculturaldifferencesintheUnitedStates.Thegroupagreedthatintheseincreasinglypolarizedtimes,weneedtofindpeopleorindustriesthatcanhelpbuildbridgesandmakeconnections.Thegroupacknowledgedthatmanyofthesedifferencesarenotsuperficial-wearedisagreeingaboutsacredvaluesandmorals.Attemptingtoreconciletheseissueswillnotbeeasy.
Lastly,theyexploredtheconceptofa“battlefieldofideas”inwhichmanynarrativescompetefordominance.Noonestorylinehasbecomedominant,sowemustadvocateformorenarrativesofpeace.
Ø Nowthatsomeideasandconceptsonthefringeshavebecomemainstream,howdoweaddressthem?Wecanworkwithintheexistingnarrativestoreframeitorpushthenarrativelandscapetoredirectitinsomeway.
Ø Leadersindifferentsectorsneedtobeatthetablewhenaddressingtheseissues.Government,theprivatesector,andNGOsallneedtobeinvolved.
Ø Weneedtoconsiderthatwedonotshareacommonlexicon,andmakeanefforttoconfirmunderstandingacrosscontestedphrases.Imagescanalsobeapowerfultoolfornarrative.Althoughwemustbecautious,asinterpretationsofimagescanbeverbalizedandinterpretedindrasticallydifferentways.
AbdallahHendawy
AndrewKostrubInteragencyTrainingAnalyst
BeverlyPopelkaAssociateDirector,Civ-MilTraining
BryanPelleyEVP,CustomerSolutions
CharlesRoganPolicyFellow/AdvisortothePresident
ChristianBoianSeniorPublicInformationOfficer
DavidAlpherWashingtonHeadofOffice
EdwardFluhrPolicyAnalyst
ElanaSokolGraduateStudent
JasonCullinaneLieutenantColonel
OUSD(P),SO/LIC,SO/[email protected]
JenZiemkeCo-Founder
JohandraDelgadoGraduateStudentAmericanUniversity
ParticipantList
JuliaRoigPresident
KaraMarstonStorily
MatthewLevingerDirector,NationalSecurityStudiesProgram
MelanieGreenbergPresidentandCEO
MerissaKhurmaNon-ResidentFellow
MichaelBarrGraduateStudentAmericanUniversity
NancyHarrityBranchHead,Policy&[email protected]
PatrickScribnerSeniorIOAnalyst
RogerSchankChairmanandCEO
ShellieRamirezInternationalRelationsDirector
