Narrative Observatory combatting Disinformation in Europe Systemically (NODES)
Narratives are the structures through which we order and interpret facts, events, and our place in the world. Narrative communities interpret the world through similar frameworks, sharing fundamental thinking patterns, heroes and villains, and a common narrative language. Understanding this diversity is crucial as disinformation exploits diverse narrative languages in very sophisticated ways, by targeting audiences with codes that are often misinterpreted by other communities.
Disinformation often succeeds by manipulating these narratives, deepening divisions by reinforcing existing biases and misunderstandings. Yet, this challenge also presents an opportunity. By engaging with and reshaping these narratives, we can create more resilient societies that are better equipped to counteract the effects of disinformation.
Initiated as a EU co-funded pilot project led by Re-Imagine Europa, the European Narratives Obsservatory moved from traditional fact-checking to attack disinformation at its most fundamental level: the narrative structure. The Observatory integrates cutting-edge findings from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science to identify and analyse the dominant narratives on any given issue -from migration to climate, agriculture or taxation.
Our work helps public and private institutions to combat polarisation and disinformation by finding these leading narratives, the deep values behind them, the narrative traps and fallacies that impede us from fully understand the facts, and the narrative bridges that can help us to build new narratives to communicate effectively with all communities, fostering mutual understanding and shared solutions.
NODES was initiated by a consortium that also included Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Centre de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), PlusValue, Sotrender, Science Feedback, and Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia. The project, under the scientific leadership of Professor Andrzej Nowak, brought together relevant scientists as Professor David Chavalarias, Research Director of the Centre de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); Guido Caldarelli, Professor of Physics at Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia; Re-Imagine Europa’s Contemporary Mythologies Scholar Marcin Napiórkowski, and Emmanuel Vincent, Science Feedback’s founder and director.
The observatory presented its key findings about climate narratives in the exhibit “Bridging the Divide: New Narratives for Climate Action”, held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in November 2024. The event was hosted by Leire Pajín MEP, along with co-hosts Magdalena Adamowicz MEP, Vytenis Andriukaitis MEP, Brando Benifei MEP, Klára Dobrev MEP, Lena Schilling MEP, and former MEP Patricia Lalonde. The event received support from several MEPs of S&D, EPP, and The Greens/EFA political groups and drew a notable attendance of stakeholders from civic society, research, and innovation organisations.
