9.3 Framing processes and collective identity formation

Framing processes shape how social movements communicate their goals and mobilize support. By constructing collective action frames, movements create shared understandings of problems and solutions. Effective framing can boost public support and resources, while counterframing by opponents can undermine a movement's message.

Collective identity formation builds solidarity within movements through shared experiences and values. A strong collective identity fosters commitment and resilience. However, framing and identity processes can also lead to exclusion of certain voices. The interplay between framing and identity significantly impacts a movement's trajectory and outcomes.

Framing in social movements

Defining framing and its role in mobilization

• Framing is the process by which social movements construct and communicate meaning to mobilize supporters, gain bystander support, and demobilize antagonists
• Frames are interpretive schemata that enable individuals to locate, perceive, identify, and label occurrences within their life space and the world at large
• Collective action frames are action-oriented sets of beliefs and meanings that inspire and legitimate the activities and campaigns of a social movement organization
  • Collective action frames provide a shared understanding of a problem, identify culpable parties, and propose solutions or strategies for change
  • Examples of collective action frames include the civil rights movement's "equality and justice" frame and the environmental movement's "climate justice" frame
• Framing processes are critical for social movements as they help create a shared understanding and mobilize support
• Successful framing can lead to increased mobilization, resources, and public support for a social movement's cause (Occupy Wall Street's "99% vs. 1%" frame)

Impact of framing on public perception and support

• Effective framing can shape public discourse, media coverage, and policy debates surrounding a social movement's issues and goals
  • The "Black Lives Matter" frame has sparked a national conversation about racial injustice and police brutality in the United States
  • The "marriage equality" frame helped shift public opinion in favor of same-sex marriage rights
• Resonant frames that align with cultural values, beliefs, and narratives are more likely to gain traction and generate public support
  • The civil rights movement's frames resonated with American values of equality, freedom, and justice
  • The anti-abortion movement's "pro-life" frame aligns with religious and moral beliefs about the sanctity of life
• However, framing processes may also lead to the exclusion or marginalization of certain voices or perspectives within a movement
  • The feminist movement has been criticized for prioritizing the concerns of white, middle-class women over those of women of color and working-class women
• Opponents of a social movement may engage in counterframing to discredit or undermine the movement's frames
  • The "All Lives Matter" counterframe seeks to neutralize the "Black Lives Matter" movement's focus on racial injustice
• The impact of framing on public perception and support may vary depending on the cultural, political, and historical context in which a movement operates

Framing strategies for social movements

Diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational framing

• Social movements engage in diagnostic framing to identify problems and attribute blame or responsibility
  • The environmental movement diagnoses climate change as a global crisis caused by human activities and the fossil fuel industry
  • The gun control movement identifies gun violence as a public health epidemic and attributes responsibility to lax gun laws and the gun lobby
• Prognostic framing involves articulating a proposed solution to the problem or at least a plan of attack and the strategies for carrying out the plan
  • The climate justice movement proposes solutions such as transitioning to renewable energy, implementing carbon taxes, and adapting to climate impacts
  • The gun control movement advocates for universal background checks, assault weapons bans, and red flag laws as solutions to gun violence
• Motivational framing provides a "call to arms" or rationale for engaging in collective action, including the construction of appropriate vocabularies of motive
  • The civil rights movement used motivational frames such as "We Shall Overcome" and "Freedom Now" to inspire participation in boycotts, marches, and sit-ins
  • The #MeToo movement's "Believe Survivors" frame provides a rationale for speaking out against sexual harassment and assault

Frame alignment processes

• Frame alignment processes, such as frame bridging, amplification, extension, and transformation, are used to link a movement's frames with those of potential adherents and resource providers
  • Frame bridging involves linking two or more ideologically congruent but structurally unconnected frames (labor movement and civil rights movement)
  • Frame amplification involves clarifying and invigorating an interpretive frame that bears on a particular issue, problem, or set of events (environmental movement amplifying the frame of "climate emergency")
  • Frame extension involves portraying a movement's objectives or activities as extending beyond its primary interests to include issues and concerns presumed to be of importance to potential adherents (women's movement extending its frame to include LGBTQ+ rights)
  • Frame transformation involves changing old understandings and meanings and generating new ones to recruit and mobilize participants (gay rights movement transforming the frame from "gay liberation" to "marriage equality")
• Counterframing strategies may be employed to rebut, undermine, or neutralize a movement's frames, often by opposing groups or the media
  • The "pro-choice" counterframe challenges the anti-abortion movement's "pro-life" frame by emphasizing women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy
  • The fossil fuel industry uses counterframes such as "energy independence" and "clean coal" to undermine the environmental movement's frames

Collective identity in social movements

Defining collective identity and its role in solidarity

• Collective identity refers to a shared sense of "one-ness" or "we-ness" anchored in real or imagined shared attributes and experiences among those who comprise the collectivity
• The creation of collective identity is essential for social movements as it fosters a sense of solidarity, commitment, and emotional attachment to the cause
  • The LGBTQ+ movement's collective identity is based on shared experiences of marginalization, discrimination, and pride in sexual and gender identities
  • The disability rights movement's collective identity is rooted in shared experiences of ableism, accessibility challenges, and pride in disability culture
• Collective identity formation involves the construction of boundaries that distinguish the group from others, the development of consciousness or interpretive frameworks, and the negotiation of symbols, rituals, and cultural practices
  • The Deaf community has constructed boundaries around the use of sign language, Deaf culture, and Deaf pride that distinguish it from the hearing world
  • The Black Power movement developed a consciousness around Black pride, self-determination, and resistance to white supremacy
• A strong collective identity can enhance a movement's resilience, sustainability, and ability to weather external challenges or setbacks
  • The LGBTQ+ movement's strong collective identity has enabled it to persist and adapt in the face of backlash, setbacks, and changing political contexts

Cultivating collective identity through shared experiences and practices

• Social movements may cultivate collective identity through shared narratives, grievances, and goals
  • The civil rights movement cultivated a collective identity around shared experiences of racial oppression, the goal of racial equality, and the narrative of the "beloved community"
  • The #MeToo movement has cultivated a collective identity around shared experiences of sexual harassment and assault and the goal of ending gender-based violence
• Participation in collective action and rituals can also foster a sense of collective identity and solidarity
  • The women's movement has cultivated collective identity through participation in marches, rallies, and consciousness-raising groups
  • The Indigenous rights movement has cultivated collective identity through participation in cultural practices, ceremonies, and land-based activism
• Collective identity can inspire a sense of moral obligation or solidarity among the broader public, leading to increased support and resource mobilization
  • The civil rights movement's collective identity inspired a sense of moral obligation among white allies to support the cause of racial justice
  • The #MeToo movement's collective identity has inspired a sense of solidarity among survivors and allies to speak out against sexual violence and support survivors

Framing and collective identity impact

Interaction between framing and collective identity processes

• Framing and collective identity processes are often intertwined and mutually reinforcing in social movements
  • The framing of a movement's goals and grievances can shape the formation of collective identity by providing a shared understanding of the problem and a vision for change
  • The collective identity of a movement can inform the framing of its goals and strategies by grounding them in the shared experiences and values of the collectivity
• Effective framing can help to create and sustain a strong collective identity by resonating with the experiences and values of the movement's constituents
  • The "Black is Beautiful" frame in the Black Power movement helped to create a strong collective identity around Black pride and resistance to white supremacy
  • The "We are the 99%" frame in the Occupy Wall Street movement helped to create a collective identity around shared experiences of economic inequality and injustice
• Collective identity can also shape the resonance and effectiveness of a movement's framing by providing a sense of shared stake and urgency in the cause
  • The Indigenous rights movement's collective identity around the sacredness of land and water has shaped the framing of its resistance to pipeline projects and resource extraction
  • The disability rights movement's collective identity around the value of disability pride has shaped the framing of its advocacy for accessibility and inclusion

Limitations and challenges of framing and collective identity

• The impact of framing and collective identity on public perception and support may vary depending on the cultural, political, and historical context in which a movement operates
  • The resonance of a movement's frames may be limited by dominant cultural narratives or political ideologies that run counter to the movement's goals
  • The strength of a movement's collective identity may be challenged by internal divisions, power imbalances, or external co-optation
• Framing and collective identity processes may also lead to the exclusion or marginalization of certain voices or perspectives within a movement
  • The framing of the mainstream LGBTQ+ movement around marriage equality has been criticized for marginalizing the concerns of transgender and queer people of color
  • The collective identity of the feminist movement has been challenged by the exclusion and marginalization of women of color, working-class women, and transgender women
• Opponents of a social movement may engage in counterframing and identity-based attacks to discredit or undermine the movement's legitimacy and support
  • The "All Lives Matter" counterframe seeks to undermine the "Black Lives Matter" movement by denying the specificity of anti-Black racism
  • The "eco-terrorist" label has been used to undermine the collective identity of the radical environmental movement and justify state repression of its activists