Paper short abstract:

Respondents whose lives are depicted by crisis narratives begin spectacular performances of such narratives. They offer professionals enacted stories while concealing their lives. This raises questions about power, crisis knowledge, and how disguise and revelation molds its own reality.

Paper long abstract:

"They won’t stop writing about us nor change what they write. Let us at least benefit too.” Mr. Bangura guided a team of American development workers through his Susan’s Bay home in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He introduced them to his family, hosted them, and proudly showcased the recycled toy cars he crafts for community children, promoting a circular economy. However, a news article later depicted his daughter in a context of parental neglect and children playing in hazardous and unsanitary conditions.

Mr. Schonfeld allowed a film crew to spend a day at the Leipzig street camp he established, offering a secure home for employed rough sleepers from diverse backgrounds. This narrative was condensed into a short film focusing on drug use and cycles of addiction. Rather than enduring the ongoing emotional labor of correcting narratives that oversimplify tales of resilience into stories of disaster or addiction, some research collaborators begin performing according to the expected narratives. Instead of being excluded from narratives about their lives, they now engage in spectacular acting to portray the stories that researchers, journalists, and practitioners profit from. These tactically performed revelations that confirm preconceived narratives, allow private lives to remain concealed and keep spectators at a distance. This raises intriguing questions about who truly holds power, the intertwining of crisis narratives with crisis responses, and how a relationship characterized by multiple disguises and selective revelations shapes its own reality.