Narrative Leadership - Using Storytelling to Mobilize Collective Action in Public Health

HPM 562 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

In this course, we will introduce the particular practice of leadership called Public Narrative that is rooted in community organizing and social movements. Developed by community organizer and Harvard professor Marshall Ganz, Public Narrative provides a way of thinking through the stories that mobilize people for collective action.

The goal of this course is to strengthen students' capacity to lead. We recognize that effective leaders cannot just engage the head (evidence and data). We need to learn how to engage the heart (values and emotions) in order to translate the knowledge into the community, political, or economic power necessary for long-term change.

Whether leading one person or thousands, engaging the heart requires learning the practice of storytelling and narrative that enables the leader to locate important themes, communicate those themes, and creatively live them out in professional and public life.

Narrative Leadership course is designed for public health leaders who are interested in harnessing the power of storytelling to motivate others to join them in action.