Evolving narrative practices in Chinese contexts

Abstract

Narrative Practice (NP; also called Narrative Therapy) seeks to help clients author a new narrative about themselves by investigating the history of their values. Somewhat of an “archaeological journey” for opening up a preferred future, NP has its roots in Western countries during the 1980s and has been popularised in different cultures. While NP has reported a significant impact in the West, the academic literature has not clearly suggested in what ways it has been contextualised in non-English speaking regions. This special issue aims to collect articles reporting applications and adaptations of NP in Chinese contexts, which broadly cover practices in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and among any Chinese populations across the globe. In addition, we see that applying a theory is more than a linear deductive process, particularly when it comes to any applications in Chinese contexts. There are numerous examples showing how foreign theories have ended up in their unique Chinese versions – what happened to capitalism and Marxism in China may be a typical exemplification. As such, applying a theory in Chinese contexts is very often a dialogue resulting in coevolutions. In this special issue of the China Journal of Social Work, we witness such intriguing and innovative developments. 1. Are those diverse narrative practices sharing the same essence? Some authors have paid attention to the diversity of NPs and have tried to unpack their differences and commonality. C. Y. Lau, T. M. Simon Chan, H. W. Christina Yu, and H. P. Catherine Wu explored stories from local practitioners and scholars on the development of narrative practice in Hong Kong over the past two decades. One of the key themes in their discussion addresses why multidisciplinary collaborations and diverse practice models have emerged in Hong Kong. They conclude that although there are different practices, they share the same vision – seeing that many problems are socially constructed – and NPs help separate people from their problems. Hoyee Au-Yeung has addressed such diversity from another angle, asking how we can ensure implementation fidelity based on specific premises. Implementation fidelity refers to how well the interventions or treatments are delivered as planned. Using a tagging tool derived from the concept of scaffolding, Au-Yeung offers an illustrative case study that visualises NP-based conversation and demonstrates that it is possible to verify to what extent a conversation aligns with NP’s principles. 2. Can narrative practice inform research methods? Some authors, such as P. F. Chuang from Taiwan, have illustrated how insights and techniques in NP can inform research methods. In a reflection paper reporting a study about a couple, Chuang sought to enable the couple to identify unique outcomes in their relationships and attempted to understand the connection between gay men and the stigma of AIDS. Similarly, S. W. Chung and Hoyee Au-Yeung from Hong Kong adopted questioning skills from NP to inform their narrative inquiry of the life experience of females in BDSM CHINA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK 2023, VOL. 16, NO. 1, 1–2 https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2023.2177374