Cultural Narratives and the Production of Meaning: An Arts and Humanities Perspective

Abstract

Cultural narratives play a central role in shaping how individuals and societies interpret reality, construct identities, and assign meaning to social experiences. Within the Arts and Humanities, narratives are understood not merely as stories but as symbolic frameworks through which cultures encode values, power relations, collective memories, and moral orientations. This article explores the concept of cultural narratives and examines how meaning is produced, circulated, and transformed through literature, visual arts, performance, media, and everyday discourse. Drawing on theoretical traditions from semiotics, cultural studies, anthropology, and literary criticism, the study highlights the dynamic relationship between narrative, culture, and meaning-making. Tables are used to systematically present key theories, narrative forms, and their socio-cultural functions. The article argues that understanding cultural narratives is essential for interpreting social change, identity formation, and ideological structures in contemporary and historical contexts.