Introduction: Possibilities and limitations of self-narration

Self-narration is a common practice of meaning-making that helps us configure experiences in our personal past and imagine our personal futures. It is widely assumed that it can be conducive to self-knowledge, self-understanding, and social recognition. Over the last decades, philosophical research has made substantial process in understanding the characteristics, dynamics, and purposes of self-narration. However, some important aspects of this practice have remained understudied. These aspects include the various socio-culturally shaped forms and norms of self-narration, as well as the epistemic, affective, moral, social, and cultural possibilities and limitations of self-narration. This thematic collection showcases original research that systematically investigates the benefits and harms of various forms of self-narration from philosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives. In this editorial, I briefly summarise the epistemic aims of this collection of Topoi titled “Possibilities and Limitations of Self-Narration,” describe how it contributes to the diversification of scholarship on self-narration, and provide a thematically organised overview of the contributions.