North Central College in the News

North Central College professor of political science quoted in Associated Press

Oct 25, 2022

William Muck shared the importance of storytelling and its impact at the U.N. Summit in September

At the end of September, the United Nations hosted a Summit where world leaders gathered together. One after another, they took the stage—different leaders from different traditions that, under a single roof, reflected most of the world’s history. All had a fleeting opportunity to craft a story about their nation and the world that would—they hoped—make others sit up and listen.

Even in an era of globalized politics and instantaneous streaming services, storytelling can capture the attention of many. Yet, the dawn of storytelling at scale over the past two decades—regular people amplified globally right next to world leaders, and entire industries devoted to disseminating disinformation across continents—makes it harder for even the most powerful to get their message noticed.

William Muck, professor and chair of the political science department at North Central College, was quoted in the Associated Press (AP), where he discussed how heads of state leverage storytelling at the U.N. Summit in an effort to make a case for their nation or others.  

“They’re still learning. Heads of state are learning how to tell stories, how to use this format to get their message out there,” said Muck. “They’re not always great storytellers,” he said. “But we now have the means and the technology to share those stories. So, somebody who’s adept at storytelling can really thrive in that space.”

The AP piece was picked up in over 300 additional media outlets across the nation: