THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF SELF-OTHER STORYTELLING IN NARRATIVE INQUIRY

Abstract

Narrative inquiry is a well-established research method in education, used to explore educational experiences within specific social, cultural, and historical contexts. It is based on the premise that individual lives are shaped by these processes, which can be understood by examining personal life stories. This paper examines the technique of storying self-other experiences within the context of party schooling in Nepal, as part of a PhD research project. It identifies three key phases in constructing narratives from these experiences: (a) the onset of storying self-other experiences, (b) living with these stories, and (c) developing coherent narratives from them. These phases provide a framework for narrative researchers to holistically interpret self-other stories, revealing how individuals perceive, understand, and interact with their world. The study highlights the pedagogical significance of narratives in narrative inquiry and their potential to enrich educational research.