Introducing a synthetic Foucauldian narrative/discourse analysis

Foucauldian analytics have been applied, separately, to discourse analysis and to narrative analysis. Within Discursive Psychology, the synthetic narrative-discursive analysis has been developed, a move absent in the Foucauldian tradition. We draw on Seamus Barker’s work to weave a synthetic Foucauldian narrative/discourse analysis. Barker repurposes Ricoeur’s threefold narrative mimesis. Mimesis1 is prefiguration – before the narrative – and refers to culturally available discourses. Mimesis2 is configuration – structuring the narrative – in which the person emplots mimesis1 (discourses) to create a meaningful sequence of events. Mimesis3 is refiguration, whereby the narrator suggests future potentialities and listeners respond. Barker does not, however, outline how discourse analysis (mimesis1) or power analytics should be effected. We draw on Foucauldian discourse analysis to flesh this out. We demonstrate our synthetic approach using data from our study on decision-making regarding long-acting reversible contraceptives. Our example illustrates how the method integrates analysis of power relations, personal stories, and interactive fluidity.