Friday Assignment #2

§  Review regarding “framing”

There are 3 different types of framing. The first is called “diagnostic framing” which is a movement that convinces probable converts that an issue needs to be addressed. The second is called “prognostic framing” and the intention is to convince people of apposite strategies and tactics concerning the issue(s). The third is “motivational framing” in which the movement attempts to encourage or pressure people into activities (this is mainly done by arousing emotions).

 

 

§  Review regarding retention and burnout

One example of retention by using the tactic of cognitive belief is that of the article by Neil Young “The ERA Is a Moral Issue”: The Mormon Church, LDS Women, and the Defeat of the Equal Rights Movement”.  An additional further extensively used example was that of communes.  Rosabeth Kanter conducted studies on communes and found that retention came from being “simultaneously cognitive, affective, and moral- it involves people’s beliefs, feelings, and moral judgments.” Communes sheltered their members from the outside world which they saw as too opportune and temptacious. They feared losing members to this force therefore controlled relationships and contact with the external world. Although the great deal of commitment requirement by communes further retained members, it is seen in most other movements to be the cause of “burn outs”.

Erick L. Hirsh argued that escalation of conflict and polarization may increase group solidarity. One great example of escalation of conflict is that of the model used by Kimberle Crenshaw of ever increasing reports of immigrant women who were abused by the American citizen husbands. This escalation in conflict brought a group together that was more able to bring awareness and amend the weaknesses of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

 

Can the Anti- U.S involvement in Iraq movement be said to have a particular collective identity or “frame”?

 

I believe that for many people the culture of the United States is to protect nations who otherwise cannot protect themselves on their own, be a mediator, as well as exercise just and fair decisions. For a period of time the United States was seen as the world hegemon. However due to arguably poor decisions/ actions by former president George W. Bush’s administration, the opposition was augmented due to a conflict in the nation’s collective identity. It should be considered that this collective identity of a just nation is what primarily fuels this antagonism to U.S involvement in Iraq.

 

The U.S’s involvement in Iraq is not limited to just one frame. It has had steps as well as interconnection between these frames. The diagnostic frame was first observed when the external world (by this, meaning outside of the U.S) was mainly the foundation in establishing disapproval of the U.S’s actions. Many people in various countries were making huge efforts to convince others that a problem needed to be addressed.  When realized, a prognostic frame was used due to the prolonged occupancy of American troops in Iraq. Ever more on the rise were people assembling to conjure strategies and tactics in order to get our nation-state out of it’s predicament. Last but not least is motivational framing that appears primarily used today. Protestors have done an exceptional job in raising emotion in human rights and personal stories which come from both Iraq and the U.S. Two cases in point are Pat Tillman, the families of soldiers place in Iraq, as well as the current issue of torture.

 

§  Compare and contrast the framing of the Anti- U.S involvement in Iraq movement with the pro-life movement and the environmental movement

 

I in addition believe that the environmental movement is using all frames just as the movement that abhors American involvement in Iraq. However they are being used to different extents. The escalation of conflict occurred very quickly for the war on terrorism. It is fairly new (at least publicly) of the various conflicts that are happening in the environment today. Contradictory to American involvement in Iraq, extensive work was required in the diagnostic frame of the environmental movement. In the 80’s many people were trying to engage people in the environmental conflict, however there was not enough scientifical evidence for people to support it. I deem prognostic framing a new application to this movement as scientific evidence (such as global warming) has been amplified. Working along side that frame also is motivational framing which is put place in schools today to further educate students of environmental issues.

 

The pro- life movement is much more differed to that of the anti- U.S involvement movement. It appears that the diagnostic frame was omitted, differing from the anti- U.S involvement in Iraq. I believe diagnostic framing was not used due to this being a movement, which included people with cognitive beliefs (and by this I mean religion). Therefore the action of convincing people that a problem needed to be addressed was not essential because in organizations such as churches, many people share the same principles. Consequently, recruiting members was not awfully crucial. Motivational framing is most used in the pro-life movement. Accounts of people who have regretted previous abortions and pictures procedures further arouse the right emotions that this movement needs to stay fervent.

 

§  Does the U.S involvement in Iraq movement have an iconic “face”?

The U.S involvement in Iraq movement does have a “face” though contradictory to those of other movements. Former President George W. Bush is definitely a “face” for this movement however connotatively poor. The “face” of this movement definitely differs to that of Rosa Parks in the civil rights movement and Cindy Sheehan of the anti-American war movement. When one thinks of the civil rights the people most thought of are Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, etc. When one thinks of the war in Iraq, George W. Bush pops into mind.

 

§  Does the social movement appear to have strategies for attracting and retaining members?

I believe the pictures of humans’ rights being violated as well as the economic down turn are huge factors in retaining this social movement. The recent torture issues have conjured many feelings, as has the media with stories of soldiers’ families.

 

§  Who might be the people responsible for starting this movement?

Many higher educated people have been highly involved in the start of this movement. It appears the higher educated one is the more global- minded they are. Therefore I believe it is the people who are very global-minded who started as well as pushed this movement

 

§  The people who might join this movement?

 

There are 4 groups of people who would join this movement. The globally minded, the people who have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn, families of soldiers placed in Iraq, as well as religious organizations who contain many pacifists.

 

§  What are the consequences of the movement you are studying being framed in this particular way?

 

I believe overall this movement is doing well. They have accomplished a lot because they have incorporated all frames. Although the United States is still involved in Iraq, it is not because the movement has not done enough. Resources are huge, however it is the circumstances in Iraq that are a result of this. Lastly this movement most likely cannot be reframed because it uses all.