Making sense of alternativity from within: Navigating degeneration tensions in the German political system

This article examines “alternativity from within” – individuals pursuing social transformation inside the established mainstream system – a hitherto underexplored avenue compared to the more intensely studied alternative organizations operating outside or at the margins of that system. As insider social change agents, these individuals are exposed to forces of degeneration, trying to uphold their alternativity against pulls toward the mainstream. Adopting a narrative sensemaking approach, this paper investigates how individuals aiming for social transformation from within the mainstream system narratively make sense of their alternativity in the face of degeneration tensions. Drawing on media artifacts, interviews, and observations thematizing the stories of three individuals aiming for social transformation from within the established German political system, this study identifies six narrative tactics and associated practices with which individuals make sense of their alternativity when facing degeneration tensions. Proposing a model for navigating degeneration tensions through engaging in these narrative tactics, this article elucidates the social transformation potential of “alternativity from within” and progresses the debate about degeneration tensions, particularly by explicating dynamics of identity degeneration and demonstrating how degeneration tensions can be navigated through narrative sensemaking.