Frames of Protest

Frames of Protest brings together important empirical research and theoretical essays by leading sociologists, political scientists, and media specialists that focus on social movement frames and framing practices. Frames are new ways of understanding political and social relations that emphasize injustice and the need for change. As such, they are crucial for the development of social movements and protest. Frames of Protest is the only book to focus exclusively on this major research perspective in social movement and protest studies. Thirteen chapters encompass the major themes in the framing perspective to offer a state-of-the-art review. Three chapters present evidence for the determining influence of framing in social movement mobilization. Next, framing activities by the state and the mass media are analyzed. Then, two research reports examine the effect of political opportunities on framing-in Poland under the Communists and in New York City's ethnic politics. Several chapters by leading theorists present a lively debate about the relationship of ideologies to collective action frames. The book closes with a hands-on discussion about analyzing textual materials and interview transcripts to do frame analysis that lends itself to longitudinal and cross-case comparisons.

Frames of Protest is the only book available that brings together empirical research and theoretical essays by sociologists, political scientists, and media specialists that focus on social movement frames and framing practices. The major themes of the framing perspective are treated: evidence for the determining influence of collective action frames, their role in protest cycles, framing practices by the state and media, their relationship to political structures, frames versus ideologies as mobilizing factors, and methods of framing research. The collection offers a state-of-the-art view of this important perspective.

Chapter 1 Frames of Protest: A Roadmap to a Perspective Chapter 2 I Framing and Mobilization Processes Chapter 3 Explaining Suffrage Mobilization: Balance, Neutralization, and Range in Collective Action Frames Chapter 4 Collective Action Frames in the Gay Liberation Movement, 1969-1973 Chapter 5 Strategic Framing, Emotions, and Superbarrio-Mexico City's Masked Crusader Chapter 6 II Non-Movement Framing: The State and Media Chapter 7 Official Frames in Social Movement Theory: The FBI, HUAC, and the Communist threat in Hollywood Chapter 8 Mobilizing the White March: Media Frames as Alternatives to Movement Organizations Chapter 9 III Framing and Political Opportunities Chapter 10 Framing, Political Opportunities, and Eastern European Mobilization Chapter 11 Political Opportunities and Framing Puerto Rican Identity in New York City Chapter 12 IV Refining the Perspective Chapter 13 What a Good Idea! Ideology and Frames in Social Movement Research Chapter 14 Clarifying the Relationship between Framing and Ideology Chapter 15 Breaking the Frame Chapter 16 Strategic Imperative, Ideology, and Frame Chapter 17 Comparative Frame Analysis 18 Index 19 About the Contributors