Storytelling Academy Seminar Series
For many academics and practitioners, storytelling is more than a means of communication; it is a body of lived experience that reveals how we come to understand the world and how we position ourselves within it. When these stories are shared, they also shape the lived experiences of others. In this sense, storytelling becomes a powerful force for shaping our surroundings, and understanding its anatomy can inspire us to act.
At the Storytelling Academy, an interdisciplinary research group at Loughborough University and home to the UNESCO Chair in Storytelling Education for Sustainability, we seek to understand how storytelling engages with themes such as environment, education, health, and social impact. To further this exploration, we have organised a new seminar series that invites scholars in the field to share their recent findings on these and related topics.
To open the series, we have invited Professor Ruth Page from the University of Birmingham, whose recent research focuses on social media storytelling. This phenomenon reveals how online users employ storytelling to build connections with their audiences. These narratives often emphasise the personal and human dimensions of users’ lives, creating emotional relatability between content creators and their followers. Needless to say, such stories also influence various aspects of users’ lives, including their mental health.
In one of her recent studies, Professor Ruth Page, together with other scholars, examined the impact of mental health influencers on TikTok and their influence on audiences. On November 6, she will join us to discuss her findings, reflect on the current state of social media storytelling, and explore what the future might hold for storytelling in online spaces.
If you are interested in joining the seminar, please fill out the form HERE
Please stay tuned for the upcoming seminars.