Fictional Narratives in Sociological Inquiry
Summary
Fictional narratives are increasingly recognised as both analytical lenses and methodological tools within sociological research. By weaving invented stories, researchers can illuminate complex social dynamics, probe cultural imaginaries and engage broader publics. This approach traces its lineage to the concept of sociological imagination, whereby personal troubles and public issues are linked through narrative reconstruction. It has been employed to explore utopian visions, ethical dilemmas, migration experiences and marginalised identities, thereby challenging traditional empirical boundaries and blending interpretive, critical and creative modes of inquiry. Such narratives offer a platform for participatory research, allowing communities to co-create scenarios that reflect lived realities and aspirational futures. Globally, applications span policy innovation, pedagogical practice and public engagement, demonstrating how fictional constructs can test transformative ideas, foster empathy and democratise sociological insight. Fictional narratives thus represent a versatile means to reimagine social relations, test hypotheses in counterfactual settings and enhance the accessibility of sociological knowledge to non-specialist audiences.
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Fictional Narratives in Sociological Inquiry publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in fictional narratives in sociological inquiry across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Sociological imagination: The capacity to link individual experiences with broader social forces to reveal underlying structures.
Fictional narrative: A constructed storyline employed by researchers to explore, exemplify or reconfigure social phenomena.
Utopian-sociological method: An approach combining imaginative depictions of alternative societies with conventional sociological analysis to critique existing conditions and propose social change.
Unreliable narrator: A narrative voice whose credibility is intentionally compromised to highlight subjectivity and ethical reflexivity in research.
References
- Real Utopia as a Method? Utopian-Sociological Paths from Jameson’s Universal Army to a Postcapitalist Post Office. Sociology (2023).
- Fiction and Social Knowledge: Towards a Strong Program in the Sociology of Literature. Sociologičeskoe Obozrenie (2020).
- The researcher as unreliable narrator: writing sociological crime fiction as a research method. Law and Humanities (2022).
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