| Abstract |
The persuasive influence of narratives has been the subject of research for a number of years by those examining the discourses of extremists online. This line of academic work has led to the development of narrative strategies to counter extreme ideologies and present more moderate world views. However, research to date has focused on the content of the narrative discourses, rather than the ways in which they are constructed to achieve an immersive storyworld with the ability to engage and influence their readership. More recent work on counter-narratives has also highlighted limitations in the efficacy of a content-focused approach to affect established belief systems. A key part of my PhD research on discourses written by extremists online employs narrative analysis beyond content examination to focus instead on the structural elements of these narratives. It maps how the authors build these storyworlds; how identities shift across the components of the narratives; and how the coda of the narrative, i.e. the part of the story linking the actions of the past to a present reality, is intensified as a radicalisation device. My research developed alongside an emerging alternative strategy to counter-narratives: inoculation narratives. Instead of countering beliefs which are already set, inoculation narratives offer a type of attitudinal vaccination against persuasion tactics and have been hailed by counter-extremism researchers and agencies such as Moonshot and Jigsaw (who work with technological companies like Google) as a more effective way of limiting the influence of online propaganda. The fellowship would support me in achieving three overarching aims essential to my career development. First, it offers the time I need to publish my research and make significant headway in developing my publication record. I have identified a book series within which I can publish a monograph and I would be able to restructure my thesis and prepare two key chapters for this publication. I plan to write an academic article for a journal that has significant impact. The fellowship would give me access to advice from experienced academics in the School of English, Communication and Philosophy (ENCAP) and the time I need to write and submit my paper. I will also target outlets with a quicker publication time and plan on writing a blog post and short article for two websites which promote academic work. Second, the fellowship offers a chance for me to disseminate my research findings through talks and networking. I will do this by 1) presenting papers at conferences and events in the UK and US, as well as at Cardiff University and 2) engaging with others working on the application of inoculation narrative research. I plan to present my work at the British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) 2024 conference and would like to extend the dissemination of my research findings to the equivalent organisation in the US (AAAL), giving me the chance to establish networks with applied linguists interested in narrative research across the Atlantic. The fellowship would also help me connect with agencies and research hubs working at the cutting edge of inoculation narrative research and who are, importantly, applying this strategy to pilot studies and policy change with stakeholders in technology. Engaging with these groups, learning from their work, exchanging findings, and establishing potential future collaborations would be invaluable. Finally, the fellowship will allow me to update my data and learn the skills I need to thrive in an academic environment. Importantly, I would like to work with Dr Tereza Spilioti and learn from her experiences analysing and publishing research on narrative data and digital discourses, as well as gain insights from her work on larger research projects. The expertise in ENCAP and training available offer a significant opportunity for me to learn how to conduct exemplary research in the future. |