Defence and Intelligence Norway: Interview with Dr. Ajit Maan, Narrative Strategies
By Editor-In-Chief Jan H. Kalvik
Defence and Intelligence Norway“Dr. Ajit Maan is a security analyst, defence strategist, and a narrative specialist. She is Founder and CEO of the U.S. based think-tank Narrative Strategies, President, Military Writers Guild, Professor, Politics and Global Security at Arizona State University, Editor, Narrative Strategy vertical for Homeland Security Today, Advisor, Editorial Board of PRISM: Journal of Complex Operations, Columnist and author of five books: Narrative Warfare (first and second edition), Counter-Terrorism: Narrative Strategies, Plato’s Fear, Internarrative Identity: Placing the Self, And last but least: A highly appreciated member of Defence and Intelligence editorial board.”
Read Dr. Maan’s responses to the following questions:
Q: Narrative is something we have been hearing a lot about recently. How do you define narrative and why should those in security and defense concern themselves with narrative?
A: “Narrative’s are culturally embedded meaning-making structures through which we understand and create our identities. On the most basic level, to communicate effectively with an audience, one should understand the narratives that the target audience lives by. But it goes much deeper than simple communication of the conscious variety because most of us are unconscious of the narrative that form us – the narratives we live by. So when you are effectively using narrative you are generally tapping into an unconscious narratives and triggering an unconscious response. For example, if I ask an American audience what narratives they live by, very few would answer “The Iliad.” But, in fact, the Iliad is a formative narrative for most American audiences even if they have never read The Iliad. It is the heroic quest of the rugged individual that is ingrained in the American psyche.
Other cultures have other foundational myths that nations and individuals within nations identify with. So if I want to trigger a behavioral response, the most effective way to do so is to tap into that narrative – both its structure and its content. I want to provide a message that offers the target audience the opportunity to associate my message with their narrative.”
Q: Can you give an example of what you refer to as triggering a behavioral response?
Q: If narrative is not about truth or lies, then what is the role of narrative in disinformation or information wars?
Q: Then how do we counter disinformation?
Q: Tell me about the mission of the think-tank you founded, Narrative Strategies.
