Challenging hegemonic narratives. Power of story-based design strategies in activating sustainable social change

Co-design and design for social innovation are valuable practices in driving in social change. Nevertheless, giving media and content design the central role in processes of social inclusion still represents an alternative perspective; it should be further explored within the discipline of design. This chapter will address the power of stories in activating processes of change and promoting the construction of a collective imagination. The authors present a collaborative, social process that engages designers as the activators of a process to give a voice to the experiences at the margins of the mainstream. Thanks to narrative-based strategy that can empower the transmission of values and messages through the world-making practice, audiences can immerse themselves into narrative spaces and participate in the creation of stories. From the communication design perspective, this means addressing two issues: the power of narrative change and the role of narratives within transmedia communication systems.