Sarcouncil Journal of Education and Sociology

Abstract: Disinformation poses an increasingly serious threat to democratic resilience in the United States, weakening public confidence, exacerbating polarization, and exposing identity-based weaknesses. While fact-checking and correction information are still important, evidence shows that falsehoods persist not because of factual assertions, but because of narrative force. Stories shape how people and society interpret events, bringing emotional resonance, coherence, and identity validation. This research combines scholarship from communication, psychology, and security studies to argue that fighting disinformation necessitates narrative-based techniques as well as factual rebuttals. The Strategic Narratives Framework and the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) demonstrate how stories influence public opinion and policy results at the systemic, institutional, and cognitive levels, respectively. Empirical studies show that disinformation spreads via emotionally charged, identity-driven narratives reinforced by digital platforms and artificial intelligence, resulting in self-sustaining "narrative worlds." Counterstrategies like as prebunking, accuracy nudges, civic literacy, and open intelligence disclosure show promise for increasing resilience. Furthermore, insights from health communication and foreign influence campaigns highlight the importance of proactive, inclusive, and identity-affirming storytelling. The emergence of artificial intelligence presents both obstacles (scalable, emotionally captivating synthetic narratives) and opportunities (detection, authentication, and defensive storytelling). This review indicates that disinformation is more than just "bad facts," but also "bad stories." The United States must implement a multilayered narrative approach that includes psychology, institutional capability, technology, and civic culture. Policymakers and practitioners can promote democratic discourse and foster resilience against manipulation by incorporating facts within compelling, trustworthy, and democratic stories.