Biography, time and local history-making

Abstract

This article examines how individuals compose biographical interpretations of their lives. The intention is to explore how individuals make their personal histories within wider history-making local communities. Such historical narratives are composed by families and groups and are also formed within societal narratives (e.g. popular stereotypes, ideological themes). While the connection between narrative and time has commonly been described here there is an attempt to provide a model to aid analysis of individual and social narratives. It is argued that such a model would draw more systematic ­attention to the importance of time in the construction of biography and in history-making. The discussion makes reference to a community study undertaken in south Wales.

Keywords:

• Biography
• Time
• Time-perspectives
• Narrative
• History-making