The Otherwise Manifesto
Otherwise is a space for sharing stories that matter.
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We see storytelling as a way of deepening solidarity and imagining the possibility of an otherwise.
We practice storytelling through ethnographic research, activism, fiction and non-fiction writing, poetry, and visual essays.
We cultivate and practice storytelling as the narration of the ordinary and everyday life.
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We believe in stories that speak for themselves without statements of intent or objectives of argument. We believe that our narrations should not be constrained by jargon, theoretical frameworks, and standardised formats.
We want stories to narrate and show, entertain and move, inform and denounce.
We want to share stories that achieve depth, generate journeys of empathy and solidarity, and challenge the most entrenched assumptions of today.
Why Otherwise
We see Otherwise as an interface between storytellers of the ordinary within and outside academia, activism, professional writing, visual arts, and areas of life and work where opportunities for storytelling remain limited.
We wish to question established positionalities of storytelling, and aim to create a space for the researched—and not only the researcher—to tell their stories.
Through stories of everyday encounters, we believe it is possible to envisage other possibilities: other ways of living, of understanding, of imagining the past, present and future.
By sharing stories, we aim to foster conversations on the power of storytelling as a means of turning the ordinary into a space for imagining and pursuing an otherwise.
Not just an archive
Each story we publish is accompanied by online conversations with the author, and regular discussions with established authors and ethnographers on storytelling.
Such events are moments for storytellers to recount and share the encounters that have shaped and informed their narration, and to cross the boundaries between readers, authors, and the constellation of people, places, challenges and visions our stories evoke.
Keep an eye on our website and social media outlets for more information, photographs and other media.
Our email newsletter gives a regular round-up of our stories, upcoming activities, and interesting writing and images relating to storytelling from an ethnographic perspective
Meet the team
Otherwise is run by a team of editors within academia, writing practice and visual arts.
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For more info, contact us at info@otherwisemag.com
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