Harmony Labs

08/08/2025

Narrative change requires patience, collaboration, and ongoing learning.

That’s why we launched the Narrative R&D Lab for Economic Mobility and Opportunity: a first-of-its-kind, three-year initiative using rigorous research to reshape how America understands poverty and human flourishing.

Our growing community of practice works together to develop actionable insights and tools, helping the Economic Mobility and Opportunity field tell stories that move us all closer to a poverty-free future where everyone can flourish.

Learn more about the Narrative R&D Lab, and how you get involved:

How the Narrative R&D Lab aims to transform America’s approach to poverty and flourishing

08/04/2025

What does it take for everyone, across values and perspectives, to see themselves as protagonists in building a more equitable world?

Our research with over 3,600 people in the U.S. shows that every audience brings a “superpower” that they can contribute to systemic change, whether as visionaries, rule-breakers, independent champions, or community stewards.

For storytelling and advocacy to truly move people to action on racial justice and health equity, we need to reflect these diverse strengths and characters:

🙏 People Power: outspoken advocates whose clarity of vision inspires others to action.

🦸 If You Say So: unconventional anti-heroes and outcasts who “take out the old guard” through creativity and disruption.

💥 Don’t Tread On Me: fiercely independent leaders who take matters into their own hands.

💪 Tough Cookies: everyday heroes—teachers, elders, helpers—who protect and uplift families and communities.

Dive into the fourth and final part of our Deep Story Dispatch on Equality to explore how these insights can help you activate diverse audiences in the journey toward systemic equality:

Advancing systemic equality means recognizing and activating the distinct strengths of each audience

07/31/2025

How people define a “fair” society and decide who deserves support shapes everything from public opinion to policy.

Some prioritize rewarding hard work, while others focus on uplifting those with the greatest need.

Changemakers face a challenge: How do we craft stories that acknowledge these values, yet build common ground for systemic equality?

Read Part III of our latest Deep Story Dispatch for insights on what drives beliefs about fairness, and how values-based storytelling can impact beliefs about a future where everyone can flourish: https://harmonylabs.org/news/deep-story-dispatch-equality-part-3

07/17/2025

Beliefs about individual agency can shape support for systemic change, and understanding that complexity is key to advancing systemic equality.

Our latest research shows that very few people buy into the idea that merit alone explains why some groups get ahead—that success is just about working harder or being more capable. Yet, when it comes to real-life systems like healthcare, most still hold individuals responsible for their own health, even while recognizing systemic barriers.

This creates a meaningful challenge:

💪 For individualistic audiences who value autonomy or authority, stories need to show how systems limit personal agency and freedom unevenly, helping them see that not everyone starts on equal footing.

🚨 For those who view the system as overwhelmingly powerful, there’s an opportunity to highlight how individuals can and do succeed despite systemic obstacles, especially where personal action combines with systemic reform.

Understanding these nuanced beliefs about agency is critical for anyone working toward systemic equality, health equity, or racial justice.

Explore more findings in Part II of our latest Deep Story Dispatch:

Part II of our ongoing survey dispatch capturing audiences’ evolving deep stories on equality

07/11/2025

Did you know 95% of people practice the humanities in their daily lives, often without even realizing it? From book clubs and video essays to history podcasts and your favorite TV shows, the humanities are everywhere, helping us make sense of art, technology, and culture.

At their core, the humanities are about meaning-making. Our new study, Humanities Unbound, reveals how all kinds of people—avid analysts, culture enthusiasts, and even skeptics—engage in humanistic activities every day. Read the full report and learn more:

The practice of humanities is alive and well—just not in the spaces you’d necessarily expect

07/03/2025

🇺🇸 🎭 American pop culture is full of stories about individuals changing broken systems. These stories reflect a deeper reality: individualism shapes our national identity, policies, and sense of equity in ways we rarely question.

In , essays from six organizations, including Harmony Labs, explore how individualism impacts health and racial equity in the U.S.

If you work public health, policy, or narrative change—or if you're simply curious about how American values like freedom and individualism evolve—these essays offer research, strategies, and questions for reflection.

Read the collection and let us know which insights resonate with you: https://medium.com/narrative-strategies-to-address-individualism-for

07/01/2025

In our contribution to the Different & The Same series, we explore how individualist audiences can become powerful allies in advancing systemic change.

The most effective narrative change works within the stories audiences are already steeped in. Our research shows individualist audiences most readily engage with protagonists exercising choice and control—often in difficult circumstances, facing dangerous enemies.

From Brooklyn Nine-Nine to The Equalizer, we analyze how different storytelling approaches can make room for every kind of hero working toward systemic equality.

Read our full essay: https://medium.com/narrative-strategies-to-address-individualism-for/changemakers-of-all-stripes-6df1c5ee70ea

Different & The Same is a collaborative effort that brings together six organizations—Berkeley Media Studies Group, FrameWorks Institute, Harmony Labs, Narrative Initiative, Race Forward, and Radical Communicators Network—exploring how individualism shapes behaviors and systems.

Effective narratives on systemic equality can make room for every kind of hero

06/16/2025

Turn on any news channel, scroll through social media, or chat with neighbors—you'll find no shortage of people ready to tear down what isn't working. But here's what we're not great at: imagining what comes next.

When it comes to equality, our research reveals a striking blindspot. Across values, several audiences struggle to picture what a truly equitable society could look like.

This "imagination gap" suggests that for many, equality remains a vague aspiration rather than a concrete vision. And realizing a true vision of equality means articulating the future we want, not just rejecting the way things are now.

Through our Deep Story Dispatch, we understand how the idea of "equality" lands differently across audiences. If we want real progress, we need stories that reflect their diverse values so everyone can see themselves in the journey, even if the routes we take may look different.

Explore our latest findings about how people perceive equality, individualism, deservingness, and systems change. Understanding these "deep stories" is key to building a future where equality is more than just an ideal.

Read more:

Ongoing survey dispatch capturing audiences’ evolving deep stories on equality, and the role they can play in ending systemic racism and health inequity

03/20/2025

This year, we’re launching a new research tool that helps us understand the underlying stories that represent people’s most closely held beliefs. Unlike existing tracking surveys, the Deep Story Survey System captures not just what audiences say they want, but how they make meaning through the stories they consume. Read more about our approach:

Our new survey system reveals audiences’ deep stories, connecting attitudes and opinions with media consumption patterns

03/10/2025

Audience research shouldn’t constrain creativity—it should fuel it. Our PBS Digital Studios partnership demonstrates how researchers and creators can work together to develop audience-first content that drives innovation and reaches new corners of the internet.

Expanding YouTube audiences by tapping into unique curiosity

01/29/2025

How does entertainment influence people's ideas about democracy? Our new research with Democracy 2076 shows how stories of transformation—not stability—help Americans imagine better futures. Catch the highlights and watch our research briefing here:

Democracy stories in entertainment are not only prevalent, they are also popular and persuasive.

01/17/2025

Our new research with Democracy 2076 is officially live ✨ This public briefing had our largest turnout yet. Watch the expert discussion and get the full report now:

Democracy stories in entertainment are not only prevalent, they are also popular and persuasive.