Post-modernism has had a major influence on academic thought. It has served well in exposing the hidden assumptions which many people have unknowingly allowed to influence their behaviour, but it has provided little support to those who are seeking to discover how they might attempt to ‘progress’. Post-modernism may encourage pessimism and lack of hope; these attributes are debilitating to academics and students. In a post-modern environment any quest for quality learning experiences may come to appear pointless. Responses to the post-modern condition need to be identified. In the area of educational research, we argue that ‘narrative’ provides a suitable response