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Narrative Knowing and the Human Sciences

Donald E. Polkinghorne’s Narrative Knowing and the Human Sciences examines the fundamental role of narrative in how humans understand themselves and the world around them. The work argues that human experience is inherently storied, and that the human sciences – psychology, sociology, anthropology, and history – are fundamentally engaged in the interpretation and construction of narratives. Polkinghorne doesn’t view narrative merely as a literary device for *presenting* research findings, but as an epistemological basis for *understanding* human existence itself.

Historical / Cultural Context

Published in 1988, this work emerged from a growing dissatisfaction within the human sciences with purely positivist approaches. Positivism, seeking to emulate the methods of the natural sciences, often reduced complex human experiences to quantifiable data, arguably stripping them of meaning and context. The “narrative turn” of the late 20th century represented a challenge to this paradigm. This book is situated within that movement, alongside thinkers like Jerome Bruner and Paul Ricoeur, who emphasized the importance of interpretation, meaning-making, and the subjective experience of individuals. It reflects a broader cultural shift toward recognizing the power of storytelling and personal accounts in shaping our understanding of reality. The rise of qualitative research methodologies within psychology also provided fertile ground for Polkinghorne’s arguments.

Who This Book Is For

This book is primarily intended for academics and graduate students in the human sciences – particularly psychology, sociology, and education. Its dense, philosophical style requires a foundational understanding of epistemology and research methodology. However, its core arguments regarding the importance of narrative are accessible to anyone interested in the nature of human understanding and the limitations of purely objective approaches to knowledge. It is less focused on providing practical applications and more on challenging fundamental assumptions about how we know what we know.

Further Reading

• Bruner, J. (1986). Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Harvard University Press.
• Ricoeur, P. (1981). Hermeneutics and the Human Sciences. University of Maryland Press.
• Schutz, A. (1967). The Phenomenology of the Social World. Northwestern University Press.

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