Topos Posts
Framing is a term that has become popular in political and advocacy circles, but it is used in such different ways that it risks becoming just a trendy word for communications. This short paper is intended as a useful resource to help advocates, funders, and others understand how frames act as "organizing ideas," and why framing can make the difference between effective and ineffective communications.
The work of the Topos principals over the last 10 years suggests that the current emphasis on values- based advocacy is actually an overcorrection away from the traditional reliance on facts as persuasive tools. Although it is important to recognize that facts alone are not enough to change people’s thinking, current communications often overemphasize appeals to moral identity and values.
What has been deemphasized is the kind of communications that is not based on our sense of who we are and what values we hold – namely, explanation-based advocacy. Explanation-based advocacy worries less about values and more about how the world works. The fundamental assumption of this approach is that as people come to understand how an issue works – how cause and effect play out – they tend to converge on generally sensible policy choices, regardless of politics (or identity). Much research by the Topos principals over the last decade on a variety of issue areas has repeatedly demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach.
Topos Posts are written by the Topos principals as well as Andrew Brown, Ph.D., a senior contributor and Research Director for Cultural Logic.