Recent scholarship in and across a variety of disciplines devotes attention to the power of storytelling, and the connections between storytelling and justice. As poet, scholar, and activist Eli Clare argues, “It is through listening to and collecting stories that we begin to notice oppressive patterns and systems and develop strategies of rebellion and resistance.” Stories can invite empathy, reclaim buried history, capture diverse experiences and voices, and, as Clare notes, uncover both oppression and opportunities for resistance. But accomplishing these goals requires strong storylistening, as well: making space for marginalized voices, valuing diverse perspectives, risking the self and emerging when encountering conflicting narratives, and understanding how the stories fit into larger social and political contexts. Storytelling offers powerful space to examine and address issues of justice and injustice. The music of singer/songwriter John Prine contains a lot of stories, and a lot of messages about justice. In this paper, two Justice Studies faculty members take interdisciplinary approaches to explore the ways Prine tells stories about a variety of justice issues and questions, including gender, class, ageism, discrimination, violence, and prison. His stories are unique, powerful, funny, sad, cynical and hopeful all at the same time. In a recent New York Times article, Dan Parry writes that Prine’s concerts “often have a tent-revival vibe, with people shouting his name and singing along to stories about endangered places and marginalized people.” Uncovering Prine helps us bring margin to center. Through exploring the music of John Prine, new insights are raised about how stories can make us a little stronger, a little wiser, and a lot more able to set the world up in ways that allow everyone to have a voice.
About the presentersDaisy Lantz Breneman
Daisy L. Breneman advises and teaches in the Justice Studies department, and co-coordinates the Disability Studies minor, at James Madison University.