In this final episode of The Vibe Shift mini-series, Edward brings the essay to a close—an essay that shaped the theoretical foundation of the Gen Z Role Models Project. Building on narrative theology, moral philosophy, and the method of reflexive thematic analysis, the episode explores how exemplarist narratives appear across religious and cultural traditions.
Drawing on thinkers like Linda Zagzebski and Alasdair MacIntyre, Edward reflects on why moral meaning unfolds in story—and how admired figures help shape how we understand truth, the cosmos, and our place within it. The episode also offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the research team identified five narrative types from the data, and how participants themselves helped refine those categories in a unique participatory phase of analysis.
This episode explores:
- What makes a narrative "exemplarist" across religious traditions
- How narrative and admiration shape moral understanding
- The limitations of top-down interpretation in qualitative research
- How Gen Z participants co-analysed and reshaped the study’s findings
If you're interested in how theology, moral theory, and participatory research can work together to illuminate Gen Z storytelling, this episode is a go-to resource.
This is The Vibe Shift. And the conversation keeps unfolding.
Visit us at oxfordexemplars.org.
Music: 'Find Yours Dreams' by Art Flower. CC0 1.0 Universal License.
Copyright: The Vibe Shift, 2025.
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