The role of storytelling within deliberation : A narrative and qualitative content analysis of a citizen dialogue concerning vulnerable EU-citizens begging in Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract: This thesis studies the role of storytelling within deliberation. It examines a citizen dialogue concerning the issue of vulnerable EU-citizens begging in Uppsala, Sweden, held in March 2016. Storytelling has been the focus of a normative debate with arguments both for and against its role in deliberation. However, within empirical research, stories’ role within deliberative discussions has not gained equal attention. In this thesis some of the findings of existing empirical research are tested in a Swedish context, as are some of the assumptions of the normative debate. The study examines whether stories are told and if they have an effect to the extent that they are further engaged in the discussions. It furthermore studies what type of effects stories may be seen to have on deliberation, whether widening and/or limiting. In relation to prior research, the definition of a story is discussed and clarified for this study. The findings show that stories are shared in deliberation and engage other deliberators, thus having an effect on the discussions. The nuanced findings concerning stories’ potential widening and/or limiting effects on deliberation are reported on and discussed in relation to prior empirical and theoretical research. Parts of these results are that the concept of unconventional claims is problematized, and that a tendency of stories creating “experts” in deliberation is identified.