About Master Narratives

What are "Master Narratives" and what makes understanding them and the work they do vital to the strategic communication interests of those involved in national security and counter-terrorism?

Master narratives are systems of stories that are deeply embedded in a culture, so much so that members of that culture cannot think of "who they are" without them. For example, the American master narrative consists of heroic stories and archetypal figures that reveal the power of freedom, liberty, and the American "way of life" to overcome any challenge.

From the founding at Plymouth Rock, to the emergence of the United States as the only superpower at the end of the 20th century, to the trials of 9/11 and subsequent wars, the American master narrative provides a coherent frame for understanding what it means to be and act like an American. Through it Americans meet any challenge, not only by military and diplomatic force, but by asserting that their narrative is right and that the enemy’s is wrong.

Muslim culture has master narratives too. They are little known outside the culture, and this book aims to change that. They are drawn from stories in sacred texts (e.g. primarily from the Qur'an and Hadith) and Muslim history. They have grown over time—in many cases over centuries—and are known by virtually every member of the culture.

Master narratives do not appeal to narrow audience segments and subgroups. They are effective precisely because they resonate across populations, regions, and states. Just as the American master narrative is well-known and understood by every citizen of the United States (and even by citizens of other countries), so too are Muslim master narratives well known and understood everywhere that culture resides.

Master narratives are important because they interpret events and project action. Like all narratives, they are based in desire stemming from some conflict (or deficiency or mystery). They assemble a trajectory of related participants, actions, and events that lead to—or have the potential to lead to—satisfaction of the desire. figure 1: Narrative Trajectory

Master narratives are strategic because they can be used to frame current events. An event like the invasion of Iraq by the United States can be mapped by analogy onto master narratives like the Crusaders and the Tatars detailed in The Infidel Invaders (Chapter 9), casting players into roles embedded in the narrative. This frames the event as particular kind of conflict (religious war) and invokes a corresponding desire (to defend the religion).

Those who accept the frame know the narrative trajectory from cultural memory, and their role in achieving satisfaction of the desire automatically becomes clear. In other words, they align their personal narratives with the master narrative, and act accordingly.

If we understand master narratives in this way we can recognize strategic communication efforts that attempt to capitalize on them. For example a leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb recently issued a statement supporting anti-government protests in Algeria. It invokes themes from the Pharaoh master narrative (Chapter 2; see sample chapter) in an effort to align protesters’ and the government’s actions with that narrative. The last chapter of the book outlines five possible strategies for countering such moves.