Imagine, democracy!
We study how and with what means narrative fiction written, read, and circulated in Finland imagines democracy.
Narrative fiction as a tool and reserve for imagination
Funded by the Kone foundation (2023-2025), our research project focuses on the institutional structures and commercial technologies that participate in the circulation of literature as well as artistic works that probe democracy and related themes. As such, we develop both a new perspective into narrative fiction as a socio-culturally significant tool for imagination and a view into the cultural reserve of democratic imagination.
We employ narrative theory, political sociology and the sociology of literature, as well as methodologies from literary studies and political science. The project presents an analytical and critical conception of the ways and conditions with which narrative fiction can support imagination toward strengthening democracy.
We ask how narrative fiction employs, repeats and potentially renews form of imagination central to democracy. What kind of narrative fiction is produced by democratic imagination? What kind of a tool is narrative fiction for for imagining democracy?
The project is affiliated with Narrare: Centre for Interdisciplinary Narrative Studies at Tampere University.