Narrative Texts in Narrative Inquiry: Interpretive Voices to Better Understand Experiences in Given Space and Time

Sudhir Kumar  Jha

doi:10.4236/ojl.2018.74014

Sudhir Kumar Jha

Abstract: Narrative inquiry has often been regarded as a methodology evolved through human cultures of storytelling. Oftentimes, researchers espousing narrative inquiry face with the challenges of integrating meaning and perspectives into narrative texts. One group of scholars argues that narrative texts themselves are interpretations so a separate analysis is not needed. Other group goes on in favor of separating narratives from interpretation. In this context, based on my PhD field experiences with narrative inquiry on team leadership experiences of “larger size” private school principals of Kathmandu, Nepal, here I argue how narrative texts become interpretive voices open to many interpretations; and therefore, so as to make better understanding of the narratives, it is the role of researcher to make perspectival analysis of the field texts, position them to the given time and space of temporality, sociality, and place (Connelly & Clandinin, 2016) and share the researcher’s standpoints with the readers.

Keywords: Narrative Inquiry, Narrative Texts, Interpretive Voices, Time and Space

Cite this paper: Jha, S. (2018) Narrative Texts in Narrative Inquiry: Interpretive Voices to Better Understand Experiences in Given Space and Time. Open Journal of Leadership, 7, 237-249. doi: 10.4236/ojl.2018.74014.

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