Framing

1
Framing

• 1. Reality is complex
• 2. To make sense of that complexity we put facts
  into stories or frames
  
• 3. These frames help tell us which of many
  possible facts are significant and what these
  facts mean
  
• RyanCentral America
• Anti-communism
• U.S Imperialism/solidarity
• Quagmire

2
Functions of Frames

• Frames help answer the following
• What is the conflict about?
• Who are we?
• Who are they?
• Who might our allies be?

3
Making Sense of a Changing World

• Understanding and Action in the Christian Rights
  Approach to Global Affairs

4
Anti-Communism

• Basic Conflict American freedom vs. communist
  tyranny
  
• We U.S./the free world
• They Communist nations and their surrogates
  around the world
  
• Alliances Republican right, third world
  anticommunist movements and governments (Central
  America, Southern Africa, Afghanistan, Taiwan)

5
Resisting the New World Order

• A growing shadow looms over American
  nationalisma creeping movement toward global
  citizenship. Instead of a world made of
  independent nations, globalism requires an
  international system to govern and unite
  nation-states.
• Concerned Women for America, Family Voice
  (July 98)
  

6
Resisting the New World Order

• Basic ConflictAmerican nationalists vs. sinister
  globalists
  
• We Patriotic Americans
• They United Nations, WTO, NAFTA,
  Internationalists
  
• Alliances Anti-immigrant groups, left anti
  Globalists, the Frankenstein alliance
  

7
Human Rights/Religious Persecution

• Basic Conflict Oppressive States Versus their
  citizens
  
• We Victims of persecution/sexual trafficking and
  those in solidarity with them
  
• They Oppressive Governments especially China,
  Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iran
  
• Alliances Human Rights groups, Jewish groups,
  Catholic Church, Tibetan movement, African
  Americans (Sudan), Feminists (Sexual Trafficking)

8
Global Moral Conservatism or Jihads versus McWorld

• We assemble in this World Congress, from many
  national, ethnic, cultural, social and religious
  communities, to affirm that the natural human
  family is established by the Creator and
  essential to good society. We address ourselves
  to all people of good will who, with the majority
  of the world's people, value the natural family.
  Ideologies of statism, individualism and sexual
  revolution, today challenge the family's very
  legitimacy as an institution. To defend the
  family and to guide public policy and cultural
  norms, this Declaration asserts principles that
  respect and uphold the vital roles that the
  family plays in society.
• Statement of Purpose World Congress of
  Families
  

9
Global Social Conservatism or Jihads Vs. McWorld

• Basic Conflict Defending the traditional family
  against social engineering by moral relativists.
  
• We Defenders of the Traditional Family
• They Feminists, Gays, Western Secular Elites,
  the UN
  
• Alliances Islamic groups, the Vatican,
  Conservative Catholics, the Global South

10
Clash of Religions

• This enemy is not a physical enemy. The enemy is
  none of the people Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein,
  Taliban leaders I have shown you here. The enemy
  is a spiritual enemy. Its called the
  principality of darkness.Satan wants to destroy
  this nation. He wants to destroy us as a nation
  and he wants to destroy us as a Christian Army.
• Gen. William Jerry
  Boykin
  
• Islam is a wicked and evil religion. Franklin
  Graham
  
• Muslims are worse than Nazis. Pat Robertson
• Muhammed was a terrorist (J. Falwell), a demon
  obsessed pedophile (Jerry Vines, past SBC
  President).

11
A Clash of Religions

• Basic Conflict Christian Truth versus Inherently
  Violent Islam
  
• We Christians
• They Islam/Satan/Terrorists
• Alliances Advocates of forceful military action
  against perceived terrorists and terrorist
  supporters in Islamic nations
  
• Christians (especially Evangelicals/Pentecostalist
  s)

12
More Functions of Frames

• Mobilization
• A Christian Nation
• Master Frame
• Civil Rights Frame
• Internal versus external audiences

13
Framing and the Media

• What will get on the news?
• GreenpeaceDramatic footage, Danger
  emphasized ,
  
• Doing the Medias job for them
• Whale versus Giant Squid
• How can we get the news to convey our frame?
• David Versus Goliath, bravery
• Mind Bombs
• What problems do challengers face in getting
  their frame taken seriously?

14
Framing IranCheney vs. MoveOn.org

• What frame will you promote?
• What images do you want to illustrate that
  frame?
  
• Is it newsworthy?
• Will mainstream media take this frame seriously?