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Fiction / Narrative

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Fiction or narrative storytelling can be a creative way to deal with political and social issues by imagining hypothetical scenarios or characters that illustrate a specific point. Fiction allows a wide range of freedom for the storyteller to experiment with different characters, situations, and outcomes. Often grounded in past experiences or present circumstances, fiction can present hybrid portraits of personality types or hypothetical futures. 

For example, the "No Health Care? No Problem!" video tackles the serious issues around the lack of health care access for undocumented immigrants. But though the film ends with a series of informative statistics to support its claim, the bulk of the argument is illustrated through a satirical, fictional scenario with an imaginary family. The family itself is a composite of those most vulnerable to health care issues, namely children and the elderly. Through a humorous story that pushes the bounds of logic, the narrative draws attention to the absurdity of their vulnerability and the negative effects of not having proper access to needed medical care.



Additionally, fictional characters and stories within popular culture can often become powerful sites for community building. With many of the groups, the initial meaning of the stories are expanded or reinterpreted to provide deeper social value to inspiring, fantastical narratives. The Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) for example is a strong example of storyworlds that become shared topics in which disparate groups can come together and start a conversation. For example, after the release of Man of Steel, HPA started a campaign called Superman is an Immigrant. The campaigned spurred a national conversation as well as a participatory tumblr to discuss what it means to be an immigrant in the US. Superman was chosen as a symbol of the powerful potential of immigrants, since Superman himself is an Alien immigrant from another planet. They weren't the first to make the connection, as Erick Huerta has been long blogging under the guise of a superhero immigrant. Also in 2001, Dulce Pinzón created a photo series depicting immigrant workers as the true "heroes' of everyday life.




 

This page has paths:

  1. Browse by Maker Practices Karl Baumann

Contents of this tag:

  1. Vant to Skype Vid Me?
  2. ASK A SLAVE Ep 1: Meet Lizzie Mae
  3. ASK A SLAVE Ep 3: You Can't Make This Stuff Up
  4. No Health Care? No Problem!
  5. "Fear the Boom and Bust" a Hayek vs. Keynes Rap Anthem
  6. ASK A SLAVE Ep 7: True Story
  7. Tamale Lesson (Edited Version)
  8. ASK A SLAVE Ep 2: Abolitioning
  9. Pinzon Spiderman
  10. Pinzon Rock
  11. ASK A SLAVE Ep 4: New Leaf, Same Page
  12. ASK A SLAVE Ep 5: Two Sides to Every Coin
  13. ASK A SLAVE Ep 6: I Love That Boy
  14. Superman Dreamer Comic
  15. Pinzon Santo
  16. Vote NO on Prop 8
  17. Pinzon Chapulin
  18. Pinzon Superman
  19. Pinzon Collage
  20. Pinzon Wonderwoman
  21. Pinzon Elasticman
  22. Superman Illegal Flying
  23. Pinzon Flash
  24. Pinzon Aquaman
  25. Pinzon Green Lantern
  26. Pinzon Batman 1
  27. Pinzon Hulk
  28. Pinzon Batman 2
  29. Pinzon Humantorch
  30. Pinzon Catwoman
  31. Pinzon Robin
  32. HPA: Superman is an Immigrant

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