HOW TO NAME AND FRAME ISSUES
What is Naming and Farming an Issue?
The Kettering Foundation’s National Issues Forums is a leader in the use of forums for deliberative public engagement and they are a leader in explaining how to name and frame a topic — a practice that Rourke (2013) says is development through practice. Naming and framing are two key tasks in creating a community forum, whether a forum for education, community engagement and especially for community action in an issue. And to be successful, community members need to be engaged. The National Issues Forums use a moderator to guide participants through deliberation of an issue that has been named and framed. Each issue guide contains at least three options for addressing the issue with possible trade-offs and a measure of shift in thinking (Mathews, 2016). The Kettering Foundation commissioned a report based on their years of experience and research focused on the importance of naming the public problem or issue using a process that engages the public. They have found that the “who” is involved in naming and the “how” they name the issue are critical factors in influencing the effectiveness of the public’s response. Their report will help professionals understand the importance of naming and framing before engaging in public forums. https://www.kettering.org/wp- content/uploads/Naming_Framing_2011-.pdf
From: Kettering Foundation: https://vimeo.com/118827420
Why is Naming and Framing So Important?
For people to get involved in public problems or issues that may be contentious, they need to believe the problem or issue is deeply important to them, their families and community. They must connect to the issue and find a way to work collectively to solve the public problem or issue.
31
Powered by FlippingBook