Why narrative?

This article addresses recent contestations of the role of narrative inquiry in the field of identity analysis and in qualitative inquiry more generally. In contrast to essentializing tendencies in the field of narrative inquiry (which have been contested under the headers of narrative exceptionalism, narrative imperialism, and narrative necessity), I am reiterating my proposal to theorize narrative inquiry as narrative practice (formerly ‘small story approach’) within which narratives and narrative inquiry present a more modest but thoroughly viable contribution.