Group autonomy and narrative identity

This chapter looks at some of the practical implications of the account of group autonomy and narrative identity. An identifiable group of people has group autonomy when its members are generally regarded by others not belonging to the group as the foremost interpreters of their own historical-cultural traditions. The importance of group autonomy is analogous. Normally, it is only because a group has an extraordinary command of its own history and experiences that it has group autonomy. A narrative is the cornerstone that secures group autonomy. When person has a narrative, then their self-identity is tied to a set of goals and values that is independent of a common enemy. It is not just that Jews have a narrative, but that the Jewish narrative is an indispensable aspect of the Christian narrative, since the Christ story is inextricably tied to the Jewish narrative.