Brian L. Steed
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Must Read Articles
​on Narrative

Articles are not listed in any particular order. All are recommended for an improved understanding of the topic.
​

The Digital Maginot Line

Renee DiResta
28 November 2018
​
Ribbon Farm

This is excellent.  It is a great companion to Peter W. Singer's book LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media*. Though I disagree with the author's reading of the Maginot Line, I think the warnings are truly important.  Please read.

Beyond “Social Contagion”: Associative Diffusion and the Emergence of Cultural Variation

Amir Goldberg, Sarah K. Stein
American Sociological Review
September 2018

This is a dense read, but it is useful for those looking seriously at the source of cultural differentiation amongst people.

Excellent support for the narrative landscape expression of culture.  In one way, the authors express that people are inclined to accept culturally changing events and experiences that coincide with their previous inclinations.  Using the narrative landscape model, people are inclined to go in a direction of least resistance or an object is inclined to roll downhill.

Al Qaeda Won

Stephen Marche
Foreign Policy
10 September 2018

Absolutely outstanding think piece!  Please read.  This is the article I wish I had written.  Though the article calls it something different, he is expressing the core power of what I call maneuver in the narrative space or what others call narrative war.​

A Five-Point Strategy to Oppose Russian Narrative Warfare

Paul Cobaugh
Medium
April 2018

This is a fantastic discussion on the importance of narrative.  The article also includes practical approaches for being more successful with narrative.  Great job!

War Goes Viral: How Social Media is Being Weaponized Across the World

Emerson T. Brooking and P.W. Singer
The Atlantic
​November 2016 Issue

​As stated elsewhere in work on Maneuver in the Narrative Space, social media is a tool that both promotes and distorts narrative. This article explores the function of social media in conflict and the role social media is playing in redefining conflict. It will cause readers to reassess their understanding of the world. 

​I am a big fan of P.W. Singer and strongly recommend reading anything written by him.
​

Memetic Warfare - Part I: It's Time to Embrace Memetic Warfare

Jeff Giersea
​Open Perspectives Exchange Network
​NATO Strategic Communication Center of Excellence - Riga, Latvia
Volume 1, Number 5, Spring 2017

​Together with Part II, this article offers critical insight into understanding an important component of Maneuver in the Narrative Space (MiTNS).  The author is explains and advocates for the use of social media as a tool in the current conflict environment.
​

Memetic Warfare - Part II: Hacking Hearts and Minds: How Memetic Warfare is Transforming Cyberwar

Jeff Giersea
​Open Perspectives Exchange Network
​NATO Strategic Communication Center of Excellence - Riga, Latvia
Volume 1, Number 5, Spring 2017

​Together with Part I, this article offers critical insight into understanding an important component of Maneuver in the Narrative Space (MiTNS).  The author is explains and advocates for the use of social media as a tool in the current conflict environment.

Narrative: The Critical Component of Counter-Terrorism Strategy

Ajit Maan
Small Wars Journal
​14 July 2015

In this short, yet brilliantly written explanation of the value of narrative Ajit Maan offers the best suggested narrative for the fight at hand.


Information at War: From China's Three Warfares to NATO's Narrative

Peter Pomerantsev, Laura Jackson, Timothy Thomas, Mark Laity, and Ben Nimmo
Legatum Institute Beyond Propaganda
September 2015
​

This is one of the best articles dealing with narrative across two non-Middle Eastern conflict zones.  In this article are several great resources from Chinese and Russian thought.


Challenging the Narrative of the "Islamic State"

Alex P. Schmid
International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague
ICCT Research Paper
June 2015


This is an excellent challenge to the ISIS narrative.  The author both explains a series of ISIS claims and then proposes ways to oppose those claims.  I am not a fan of counter-narrative and the author expresses that though that is what he is proposing that counter-narrative is an inherently weak way to garner global support.
​

The return of Khilafah: The constitutive narratives of Daesh

Theron Verdon
Defence Strategic Communications
NATO Strategic Communication Center of Excellence - Riga, Latvia
Volume 1, Number 1, Winter 2015

This is probably the best article on narrative I have yet read. It provides a powerful discussion of the topic of narrative in general and how ISIS uses narrative.

What I Learned from Reading the Islamic State's Propaganda Instruction Manual

Charlie Winter
Lawfare
​2 April 2017

This is an excellent and brief summary of the ISIS vision of the use of media as a weapon.
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  • Home
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  • Reviews
  • Narrative
    • Influence
    • Maneuver in the Narrative Space
    • Narrative War: Understanding ISIS
  • About
    • Brian Steed
    • Narrative Strategies