Lately I have been thinking a lot about the “interactive” part of narratives of desistance – the negotiation of narratives with others, positive feedback and “identity verification” , and the role of the story audience in determining which narratives are credible and authentic and which are not. I think that this is a point of…
Tag: Desistance
The risky business of reentry and desistance
“The day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” — Attributed to Anaïs Nin, possibly Elizabeth Appell. During my years in graduate school, I became heavily involved in dog training and competition. It was a welcome distraction from the stress of graduate…
Role identities, narrative identity, and change
In the question period of an ASC panel about identity change and desistance, an audience member commented that in looking at this relationship, we should remember that we all change our identities. She rattled off a few examples of her own identity changes, largely focusing on role identities and also on a transition from rebellious…