Publications

Annotated Bibliography

Manne, L., & Pariser, E. (2025, April 15). Engaging young men before extremists do: What we learned about loneliness, connection, and resilience. Medium. https://medium.com/@StoryStrategyGroup/engaging-young-men-before-extremists-do-4cd61a7ba333 

Loneliness and social disconnection — not ideology — drive young men's vulnerability to extremism and political violence, and two-way dialogue builds stronger resilience than one-way messaging.

Cheyfitz, K., & Manne, L. (2024, October 22). Why your brain needs stories. Medium. https://medium.com/a-more-perfect-story/why-your-brain-needs-stories-93c9e267421d 

Neuroscience reveals why storytelling is the most effective form of persuasion: the brain processes stories like lived experiences and makes decisions driven by emotion,
not reason.

Kalra, N., Stachowiak, S., Lowell, D., & Manne, L. (2023, February 22). Landscaping narrative change work at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Medium. https://medium.com/@StoryStrategyGroup/landscaping-narrative-change-work-at-the-robert-wood-johnson-foundation-868b58312277 

How one foundation assessed its narrative change investments and developed a unified approach to audience focus, measurement, and coordinated grantmaking.

Potts, E., Lowell, D., & Manne, L. (2022, March). Spotlight on impact storytelling: Mapping and recommendations for the narrative and cultural strategies ecosystem. Liz Manne Strategy. https://www.lizmanne.com/s/Spotlight_On_Impact_Storytelling.pdf 

Mapping the narrative and cultural strategies ecosystem to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for philanthropic investment in production, training, research, and coordination.

Harmony Labs. (2022). Health equity narratives: Content testing & strategy validation. Harmony Labs and Liz Manne Strategy. https://narrativeobservatory.org/strategy-validation 

Creating and testing research-informed content to identify stories that move audiences toward understanding that a racially biased healthcare system exists and supporting change to achieve better health outcomes for all.

Manne, L., Cheyfitz, K., de Vries, M., Lowell, D., Pariser, E., Potts, E., & Williams Simon, E. (2022, January). Narrative strategy: The basics. Liz Manne Strategy. https://www.lizmanne.com/s/Narrative_Strategy_The_Basics.pdf 

An introduction to narrative strategy as an approach that weaves storytelling through communications, organizing, advocacy, and cultural work to shift individual beliefs and public discourse.

Manne, L. (2021, January 30). Stories that roar (or whisper): How to meet your audiences where they are. Medium. https://medium.com/a-more-perfect-story/stories-that-roar-or-whisper-c9404ca604cb 

How storytellers can create content that resonates and persuades by matching audience values with voices they
identify with.

Conrey, R., & Manne, L. (2020, January). Story at scale: Narrative research to advance gender justice. Liz Manne Strategy for The Culture Change Fund. https://www.storyatscale.org 

An audience segmentation and narrative framework to guide artists and advocates in telling stories that effectively build support for gender-related issues ranging from reproductive justice to sex- and gender-based violence to LGBTQ+ rights and more.

Chang, J., Manne, L., & Potts, E. (2018, June 15). A conversation about cultural strategy. Medium. https://medium.com/a-more-perfect-story/a-conversation-about-cultural-strategy-9e2a28802160 

Defining cultural strategy, clarifying relationships between stories and culture, and establishing shared values and theory of change for the field.

Alliance for Youth Organizing. (2018, May). Midwest Culture Lab. https://allianceforyouthorganizing.org/midwest-culture-lab/ 

A story platform and cultural organizing strategy co-created by youth-led civic engagement organizations to increase the civic participation and political power of young people in the Midwest region.

Manne, L. (2018, April 12). Interconnected strategic practices: How to shift narratives and win campaigns. Medium. https://medium.com/a-more-perfect-story/interconnected-strategic-practices-how-to-shift-narratives-and-win-campaigns-60d5c27ce8fe 

How narrative strategy, organizing, policy advocacy, and communications must work in concert to achieve lasting social and
political change.

Manne, L. (2017, November 8). How marketing can help expand progressive wins. Medium. https://medium.com/a-more-perfect-story/how-marketing-can-help-expand-progressive-wins-952e26622052 

Applying commercial marketing principles to help progressive campaigns move beyond the choir through audience segmentation, message testing, and brand equity building.

Manne, L. (2017, October 27). First person: Sexual harassers are poisonous, and so are the companies that protect them. IndieWire. https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/harvey-weinstein-sexual-harrassment-new-line-cinema-1201891113 /

My personal account of sexual assault and harassment in the film industry, examining how non-disclosure agreements silence survivors and enable predatory workplace cultures to persist across industries.

Manne, L. (2017, July 26). The problem with the Democrats' new brand. Medium. https://medium.com/a-more-perfect-story/the-problem-with-the-democrats-new-brand-9228f32b534a 

Why effective political branding requires more than policy proposals—it demands an emotionally resonant narrative that connects with voters' values and lived experiences.

Manne, L., et al. (2016, February). #PopJustice: Social justice and the promise of pop culture strategies (Vols. 1–6). Liz Manne Strategy. https://www.lizmanne.com/popjustice/ 

How popular entertainment can be strategically used to advance social justice, with recommendations for philanthropic investment in pop culture and advocacy.

San Francisco Film Society. (2015, February 18). SFFILM strategic plan (2015–2017). https://www.lizmanne.com/s/San-Francisco-Film-Society-2015-2017.pdf

Positioning the San Francisco Film Society (since rebranded SFFILM) for its 60th anniversary by expanding audience engagement, diversifying revenue, and shepherding film culture through technological disruption.

The Culture Group. (2014, January). Making waves: A guide to cultural strategy. Air Traffic Control Education Fund, Inc. https://www.lizmanne.com/s/Making-Waves-The-Culture-Group.pdf

A practical guide exploring how artists and advocates can leverage the power of arts and culture to shift public sentiment and achieve social change.

FilmAid International. (2013, February). FilmAid International annual report 2010–2011. https://www.lizmanne.com/s/FilmAid-2010-2011-Annual-Report.pdf

Using film, media, and storytelling to deliver life-saving information, psychological relief, and hope to refugee camps and communities in crisis across East Africa, Haiti, and Thailand.

Manne, L., & Ackerman, R. (2010, August). Immigration: Arts, culture and media 2010 (Creative Change Report). The Opportunity Agenda. https://www.lizmanne.com/s/The-Opportunity-Agenda-Immigration-Arts-Culture-Media-2010.pdf

Identifying examples of arts, culture, and media that break down prejudice and inspire public support for fair treatment and inclusion of immigrants in American society.