Degrees of frame alignment: Comparing organisers’ and participants’ frames in 29 demonstrations in three countries

Abstract

The frame alignment approach is one of the most influential mobilisation theories. This theory holds that frame alignment is a necessary condition for movement participation. The present study challenges this premise. Instead of treating frame alignment as a precondition for participation, the authors address it as something that should be empirically examined. And rather than distinguishing between either aligned or non-aligned protesters, they study frame alignment as a matter of degree. They do so drawing on protest surveys collected during 29 demonstrations in Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The authors answer the following research questions: To what extent are the frames of protest organisers and participants aligned? And are there differences in degrees of alignment across framing tasks, countries and issues? The findings show that many participants are only partially aligned. The highest levels of alignment are found for the diagnostic framing task. The article finds few differences across countries and issues for general alignment levels, but sub-aspects do tend to differ.

Tracing Protest Motives: The Link Between Newspaper Coverage, Movement Messages, and Demonstrators’ Reasons to Protest

“…Some recent empirical studies indeed show that protest participant motives are not necessarily in line with the messages that are broadcasted by the organizers of a demonstration (Ketelaars et al. ; Wahlström et al. ).…”

“…However, recent research suggests that demonstrators do not necessarily share the frames of social movements. Their reasons to engage in action are only partially in line with the protest organizer frames: they also express other grievances and formulate alternative solutions regarding the protest issue (Ketelaars, Walgrave, and Wouters ; Wahlström, Wennerhag, and Rootes ). What social movements are communicating thus tells only part of the story of what rank‐and‐file protest participants are thinking.…”

What do we want? Examining the motivating role of goals in social movement mobilization

“…Third, our study provides a way to connect the micro level -individual goals, beliefs, and values-with the aims of social movement organizations, i.e., the meso level (Ketelaars, Walgrave, & Wouters, 2014;Snow et al, 1986).…”

A Bit More than a Fly on the Wall: Roles and Responsibilities in Design-Based Research

“…Frame analysis is an established concept in the social movement and policy studies research literature, and it relates primarily to studies with large social groups and often to the implementation of new policy structures (Ketelaars, Walgrave and Wouters, 2014;Snow and Benford, 1988). Undoubtedly, the best-known spokesperson for frame analysis is Erving Goffman, a Canadian-American sociologist and writer.…”