Students

INTS2202 – Narrative and Authority

2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Consuelo Martinez Reyes
consuelo.martinezreyes@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
C341 225 WW
By appointment
Convenor
Alexandra Kurmann
alex.kurmann@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
C334 25WW
Weds 11am-1pm
Lecturer
Sung-Eun Lee
sungeun.lee@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
C339 25WW
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
50cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

How do leaders use stories to build trust, mobilise support, or claim legitimacy? And how are those stories challenged, contested, or rewritten? This unit explores leadership as a narrative practice - a process of shaping meaning, asserting values, and negotiating power across diverse audiences. You will examine how stories function not only as reflections of leadership, but as tools that establish authority, frame crises, and mediate between conflicting worldviews. You will analyse how leadership narratives are constructed, rejected, appropriated, or silenced, and how these dynamics shape whose voices are heard and whose are excluded. Drawing on global case studies and media examples, you will investigate how leadership narratives operate in political leadership, corporate communication, diplomacy, and activism. Engaging with theories of narrative framing, legitimacy, and discourse, you will consider how leaders navigate persuasion and representation in an era of misinformation, identity politics, and algorithmic influence. Through practical exercises in storytelling and media analysis, you will experiment with crafting strategic narratives. By the end of this unit, you will be equipped to frame issues clearly, recognise storytelling as both a leadership tool and a contested site of power, and use narrative as a core site of persuasion and change.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Analyse how narrative strategies are used to construct and challenge authority in global leadership contexts.
  • ULO2: Evaluate the effectiveness of storytelling in influencing public opinion and organisational change.
  • ULO3: Create persuasive narratives addressing contemporary leadership challenges in international settings.
  • ULO4: Apply critical frameworks to assess the legitimacy of competing authorities in global affairs.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI assisted?
Narrative analysis essay 25% No Week 6 23:55 5 April 2026 Individual No Open AI
Field Study 35% No Week 8 23:55 3 May 2026 Individual No
Persuasive storytelling project 40% No Week 12 23:55 31 May 2026 Individual No Observed

Narrative analysis essay

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 6 23:55 5 April 2026
Weighting: 25%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Open

Identify and compare distinct narrative strategies regarding leadership in different contexts, evaluating their composition, effectiveness, and limitations.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse how narrative strategies are used to construct and challenge authority in global leadership contexts.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of storytelling in influencing public opinion and organisational change.
  • Apply critical frameworks to assess the legitimacy of competing authorities in global affairs.

Field Study

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 8 23:55 3 May 2026
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:

Design and execute a survey to gather information on reception of various narratives around leadership, and identify how the findings can be applied in real-world scenarios.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse how narrative strategies are used to construct and challenge authority in global leadership contexts.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of storytelling in influencing public opinion and organisational change.
  • Create persuasive narratives addressing contemporary leadership challenges in international settings.

Persuasive storytelling project

Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 12 23:55 31 May 2026
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed

Create a persuasive narrative (e.g., advertisement, podcast, video, poster) addressing a current global leadership challenge.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of storytelling in influencing public opinion and organisational change.
  • Create persuasive narratives addressing contemporary leadership challenges in international settings.
  • Apply critical frameworks to assess the legitimacy of competing authorities in global affairs.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

The unit consists in one 1 hour lecture and one 1 hour tutorial weeks 1 to 12. Readings are available on the Leganto site and other resources are available on Ilearn in respective weeks.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.03 of the Handbook