by Yael R. Kaplan, Melissa K. Merry and Michael D. Jones

In our recent article published in Policy & Politics, we explore how narratives shape the way countries behave in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), focusing on their voting behaviour. We argue that the big stories a nation tells about itself – termed “macro narratives” – play a crucial role in how that country votes. Essentially, these macro narratives help form a country’s identity and influence its political decisions in the global arena.

Through our analysis, we explain that narratives are not just random tales; they are powerful tools that help people make sense of complex situations. In politics, leaders and interest groups use these stories to shape public opinion and rally support for their goals. Our research emphasises that, while we know a lot about how narratives work at smaller levels – like within groups or communities – there’s still a lot to learn about how these stories operate on a larger, national scale.

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