Conservative storytellers are known for their ability to “produce a narrative” while progressives have been criticized for their inability to do so. Telling progressive stories, according to Democratic party strategists, would do more than win elections—strong, compelling narratives would open the door to enacting a progressive agenda in the United States. This article explores how stories work and the challenges facing progressive storytelling today. It demonstrates why some political narratives persuade while others don’t. It ultimately suggests that progressives must pay attention to the cultural norms that make some people’s stories more believable than others.

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Watch this page next week for some post-election analysis!