Introduction

We open by exploring the metacrisis and its cultural roots. You will delve into the transformative power of narratives and their role in shaping systems and actions in the world. We share the Culture Hack Labs approach to Narrative-Led Systems Change: Justice plus Onto-Shift, which emphasizes that demands for justice must be paired with a deeper shift in ontologies—the fundamental ways we perceive, relate to, and engage with the world.

Step 3: Understand

First you will analyse the Attention, Network and Power, as well as the Language of your Narrative Communities. You will then Map the Communities using Justice-Ontology axes to reveal key patterns and positions - building on the “Justice plus onto-shift” approach introduced in the Introduction. Finally, you will identify where the Window of Discourse sits and where we want to shift it. This is the foundation for your narrative intervention strategy.

Step 3: Understand

Attention, Network & Power

In UNDERSTAND, we dive deeper into narrative analysis. The output is an analysis of the Narrative communities’ Attention, Network and Power, their Language (Linguistic Analysis), and a Mapping to identify and guide narrative shifts. This sets us up for the next step (REFRAME) where we develop a Narrative Strategy to practically intervene. Reflect on the …
Language Analysis

We conduct Linguistic Analysis in order to understand the building blocks of narratives. Language is the fundamental driving force of narrative systems – driving “Attention, Network, Power”. If we decode the language, we understand the underlying genetic code of the system – revealing how it replicates meaning, culture and power. The goal of this step …
Mapping Narrative Communities

Using your completed Narrative Community Table, we can map the narrative communities in a way that is useful for our Point of View. This mapping represents the narrative space at the time of research, using axes to reveal key patterns and community positions. Building on “Justice plus onto-shift” from the Introduction, we combine Justice-Ontology axes …
The Window of Discourse

Now we have mapped our narrative communities using our Attention, Network, Power, and Language analysis, we can identify the Window of Discourse. The Window of Discourse describes the range of ideas within the narrative space that the public is willing to accept: what sits in the window is what is considered “common sense” As narrative …

The Culture Hack Method

The Culture Hack Method

Introduction

Step 1: Ask

Step 2: Listen

Step 3: Understand

Step 3: Understand

Attention, Network & Power

Language Analysis

Mapping Narrative Communities

The Window of Discourse