Matthew Nisbet: Framing Climate Change
May 27, 2009 07:57AM
In the paper, "Communicating Climate Change: Why Frames Matter for Public Engagement," published in Environment Magazine, Matthew Nisbet examines research on frames that appear to reoccur across science-related policy debates. He applies them to a discussion of climate change and sees the "economic development and competitiveness" and "morality and ethics" frames as holding the greatest communications value. Nisbet is a communications professor at American University and blogs at Framing Science.
| Table 2: Typology of frames applicable to climate change | |
|---|---|
| Frame | Defines science-related issue as… |
| Social progress | A means of improving quality of life or solving problems; alternative interpretation as a way to be in harmony with nature instead of mastering it. |
| Economic development and competitiveness | An economic investment; market benefit or risk; or a point of local, national, or global competitiveness. |
| Morality and ethics | A matter of right or wrong; or of respect or disrespect for limits, thresholds, or boundaries. |
| Scientific and technical uncertainty | A matter of expert understanding or consensus; a debate over what is known versus unknown; or peer-reviewed, confirmed knowledge versus hype or alarmism. |
| Pandora’s box/Frankenstein’s monster/runaway science | A need for precaution or action in face of possible catastrophe and out-of-control consequences; or alternatively as fatalism, where there is a no way to avoid the consequences or chosen path. |
| Public accountability and governance | Research or policy either in the public interest or serving special interests, emphasizing issues of control, transparency, participation, responsiveness, or ownership; or debate over proper use of science and expertise in decisionmaking (“politicization”). |
| Middle way/alternative path | A third way between conflicting polarized views or options. |
| Conflict and strategy | A game among elites, such as who is winning or losing the debate; or a battle of personalities or groups (usually a journalist-driven interpretation). |
(Update: See also Nisbet and coauthors on "Four cultures: new synergies for engaging society on climate change.")
