From discourse to legitimacy: narratives as instruments of influence in international relations

This editorial article examines the centrality of narratives and values in shaping human understanding, social realities, and political life. Humans naturally think and communicate through stories, which structure events into coherent sequences, assign meaning, and influence collective memory, identity, and power relations. Narratives function as both cognitive and discursive tools, enabling shared understanding while redistributing interpretive authority between storytellers and audiences. They do more than represent reality: they actively shape opinions, social organization, and political dynamics. Values are inseparable from narratives, as stories translate abstract ideals into tangible political action. Both narratives and values are inherently unstable, socially constructed, and politically contested, with their meaning continually negotiated and mobilized by competing actors. By foregrounding the constitutive and transformative power of narratives and the contested nature of values, this article underscores their significance for interpreting political phenomena and analyzing the dynamics of international relations.