Turning the Invisible visible with words: Exploring Refugees’ Narrative Identity in Storytelling in the Netherlands

Abstract

Previous research on narrative identity has investigated how individuals build their sense of self through the stories they tell themselves and others. This interdisciplinary concept suggests that people draw upon and give meaning to previous events of their lives to establish a continuous sense of self. This thesis explores how migrants with a refugee background use their participation in storytelling to construct and negotiate their identities. To do this, field observations and thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with migrants with refugee backgrounds engaging in different storytelling activities. These included not only stage-centered performances but also conversations and interactive tours. The results showed that sharing their stories with others helped individuals build coherence and establish a sense of unity and control over situations that were not deliberate. Social interactions further influence their self-perceptions. Although stereotypes could reduce their self-confidence, storytelling constituted spaces where individuals re-narrated their stories and attributed new meanings to their identities and experiences, moving beyond their refugee label. As a result, this thesis supports the idea of storytelling as a form of narrative therapy where individuals externalize stories in ways that others can relate to and support the new meanings of their experiences. Therefore, this paper strongly encourages the exchange of stories not only to promote a cohesive society and the integration of refugees but also for individual well-being.