Unravelling the Hero’s Journey – new narrative paradigms for story, semantics & the psychology of experience.
Guest Editors: Roy Hanney & Alison Norrington
Media Practice and Education, Volume 25, Issue 2 (2024)
ABSTRACT
This special edition embarks on a critical exploration of Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey, challenging its dominance as a universal narrative framework and its implications for contemporary storytelling, particularly in the context of evolving media landscapes. Drawing on C.P. Nield’s critique of Campbell’s monomyth as a “Hollywood McMyth,” the collection of articles within this edition seeks to unravel the monomyth by advocating for a narrative plurality that reflects a more inclusive and diverse spectrum of stories. Contributors to this edition engage with alternative narrative paradigms that emphasise community, companionship, and commonality, moving beyond the individualistic focus of Campbell’s framework. This shift is underscored by the rise of interactive and immersive storytelling technologies, such as VR, AR, and XR, which demand a re-evaluation of narrative structures to accommodate the dynamic and fluid nature of contemporary storytelling. Through a decolonial lens, the articles collectively argue for a decentring of narrative meaning, proposing new approaches that embrace the complexities of global challenges and the multiplicity of human experiences. Setting the stage for a critical examination of The Hero’s Journey, inviting readers to consider the ethical implications of narratives in shaping socio-cultural values and norms in an era of immersive and participatory media.
Hanney, R. & Norrington, A. (Guest Eds.). (2024). Unravelling the Hero’s Journey: new narrative paradigms for story, semantics & the psychology of experience [Special issue]. Media Practice & Education, 25(2).
ARTICLES
Hanney, R. (2024). One myth to rule them all and in the darkness bind them: a critical examination of Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey. Media Practice and Education, 25(2), 113–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2333649
Aston, J. (2024). There’s more to life than the monomyth: multiperspectival approaches to teaching narrative and story in university film and media departments. Media Practice and Education, 25(2), 123–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2331342
Gröppel-Wegener, A. (2024). Immersive protagonists – exploring the notion of the ‘hero’ in theme parks. Media Practice and Education, 25(2), 137–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2324089
Gough-Brady, C. (2024). The heroic character, the neo-liberal productive citizen, and the feminist filmmaker. Media Practice and Education, 25(2), 149–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2324076
Bowman, S. L. (2024). Finding the self in role-playing games: Weaving myth, narrative, and identity. Media Practice and Education, 25(2), 160–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2324085
Taylor, S. (2024). Not getting your story straight: queering heroes’ journeys and heteronormative timelines. Media Practice and Education, 25(2), 174–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2324120
Remedios, D. J., Mathew, D. J., & Schleser, M. (2024). Navigating parallel interactive narratives in virtual reality. Media Practice and Education, 25(2), 188–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2024.2324088
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