About
Michael Bamberg is a Professor of Psychology at Clark University, specializing in Discourse Analysis and Identity Studies with a focus on narrative practices. He has been affiliated with Clark since 1986. His research examines how narratives—particularly 'small stories'—serve as tools for sense-making and identity formation, emphasizing microanalytic approaches to study identity as an emergent, context-dependent process.
Dr. Bamberg holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley (1985), an M.Phil. in Linguistics from the University of York (1978), and a Staatsexamen in German, Politics, and Education from the Universität Marburg (1975). His work bridges linguistics, psychology, and sociology, with notable contributions to narrative inquiry and qualitative methodology.
His research interests include narrative analysis, positioning theory, counter-narratives, and the intersection of discourse and identity. Recent work explores uncertainty in psychological discourse, global pandemics' epistemic challenges, and the role of narratives in social contexts like crime and punishment.
Publications span edited handbooks (e.g., The Cambridge Handbook of Identity), journal articles, and methodological frameworks for qualitative research. He received the Fulbright Distinguished Chair Scholarship (2020) and contributed to reporting standards for qualitative studies in psychology.
Bamberg’s advising and grants include mentorship in narrative studies and collaborations on interdisciplinary projects. His work is methodologically rigorous, blending theory with micro-level discourse analysis to advance understanding of identity dynamics in social interactions.
