Exploring the role of emotions in the Narrative Policy Framework

The Narrative Policy Framework acknowledges the crucial role that emotions play within the framework. With the homo narrans as the micro foundation, it places emotion at the center of attention and stresses that “affect-imbued stories” (Jones et al. 2022, 139) are key for how individuals make sense of the world and, consequently, navigate through the policy process. Still, scholars of the Narrative Policy Framework have only recently started to investigate emotions more thoroughly (e.g. Pierce et al. 2022). In this paper, we aim for a systematic assessment of emotions by asking which role emotions play for the construction of narratives. We are interested in the way emotions are linked to different narrative elements and thus contribute to the overall ‘radiance’ of a narrative. For example, we assume that heroes, villains and victims as well as different narrative plots can be linked systematically to positive and negative emotions. Empirically, we analyse policy debates on vaccination policies during the Covid-19 pandemic in Germany. Jones, Michael D.; MacBeth, Mark K.; Shanahan, Elizabeth A.; Smith-Walter, Aaron; Song, Geoboo (2022): Conducting Narrative Policy Framework Research. In: Weible, Christopher M./Workman, Samuel (eds.): Methods of the Policy Process. Routledge, pp. 137-180. Pierce, Jonathan J.; Miller-Stevens, Katrina; Hicks, Isabel; Casenada Zilly, Dova; Rangaraj, Saigopal; Rao, Evan (2022): How anger and fear influence policy narratives: Advocacy and regulation of oil and gas drilling in Colorado. Review of Policy Research, https://doi.org/10.1111/ropr.12519