Storytelling as methodology: Intersecting multicultural voices to decolonise public relations

While storytelling has emerged as a focal area of interest within public relations, its potential as a methodology for including multicultural or marginalised voices in knowledge co-production remains underexplored. Through a critical review of fields that have actively used storytelling methods, this paper establishes storytelling as a methodology––a scientific approach to developing reflective, dynamic accounts of lived experiences through a constructivist rationale, a participatory lens, and an intersectional analysis of power dynamics. It presents a four-stage storytelling approach––design, conduct, sensemaking, and curation—each integrating essential elements and ethical considerations. Using an example study to illustrate its application, this study highlights both the strengths and challenges of the storytelling methodology. The paper makes a significant methodological contribution to public relations, advocating for a move from extractive methods toward a co-constructive and emancipatory approach to reimagining alternative forms of scholarship.