How do we get to a future America for all of us and for everyone, a nation in which belonging is co-created and power is authentically shared?
Over…
NARRATIVE NOTES: When Workers Win
Think Big: Belonging In and To America
Think Big: Abundance in Narrative
We often define abundance as a contrast. Abundance is NOT scarcity, NOT austerity, NOT competition for resources. So, then, what IS abundance?
What…
What…
How Democrats Can Beat Republicans on the Economy
Strategists are bewildered at poll results that consistently show voters rating Republicans better on the economy than Democrats. The Biden administration…
Tax Justice Case Study
#Taxday2023 was a day to celebrate hard fought victories for tax justice in Washington State. Last month, the Washington State Supreme Court upheld the…
Acting On Our Values is Good Economics
A framework that flips people’s focus from what businesses need for the economy to do well, to a focus on people’s wellbeing (ALL people’s wellbeing) as what is necessary to drive our economy, can be a powerful tool to add to our moral and justice-oriented tools in the box.
Think Big: Help Co-Create a Research Agenda!
We are excited to see many of you this Thursday, 10/27 at 3pm ET at our October Learning Community meeting on Democracy and the Will of the People. If…
New Yorkers on the Economy
New Yorkers want state policies that make life more manageable for regular, working people.
What do we mean when we say “Think Big”?
Think Big grew out of a big idea. Progressive advocates, organizers, and funders who came together to talk about communications strategies to challenge…
Think Big October Meeting
Come join our learning community as we Think Big about the Will of the People in this election and beyond.
Centering Race, Centering Government
What role, if any, do Americans see for the government in advancing racial equity?
An Economy Measured by How People are Doing
The Biden Administration has a new and better definition of what “the economy” is and should be.
Anti-Corruption Campaign Messaging
Why is it that accusations of corruption do not seem to stick to Donald Trump?
Getting Democracy Back on Track
To serve we-the-people, we need strong laws and processes to keep government on track.
Law Can Make Things Better
Law should determine the timing of a Supreme Court nomination, not one man’s whimsy.
What Change Looks Like
Adding solutions to the protest narrative.
What Must Be Heard – It’s About More than Police Violence
What hasn’t been heard? Obstacles as well as contributions — ideas that combat stereotypes and lead to lasting change.
The People Must Be Heard
The uprising has been building for some time. To reclaim our democracy, the people must be heard.
Who’s Responsible? COVID Edition
People’s willingness to hold the Trump Administration accountable for the current crisis depends on a chain of reasoning that defines the nature of the crisis and its solution.
Two Narrative Strategies for Engaging on Race
As daunting as the challenges are, committed communicators across the country are working hard to address racism in order to create progress. A number…
Making the Case for Federal Aid to the States
House Democrats’ HEROES Act proposal puts state fiscal relief in the spotlight. This document is intended to serve as a brief primer on how to make the…
Critiquing Without Undermining
How to critique government without inadvertently undermining its importance, an especially crucial lesson now when the federal government is run by an Administration that is dismantling our democratic institutions.
The Polarizing Pandemic
Conservatives and progressives demonstrate sharply different perceptions at the level of the Cultural Common Sense.
Empowering Perspectives
An interesting tweet caught our attention:
“If we view ourselves as besieged victims who need to go into hiding, then we will cultivate fear and hoarding.…
“If we view ourselves as besieged victims who need to go into hiding, then we will cultivate fear and hoarding.…
Will COVID-19 Kill Trickle-Down Economics?
Trickle down…Bootstraps…these flawed mental models of the economy – most often used by those speaking from a conservative point of view – might,…
Catastrophic Skepticism: Addressing a Public Trained Not to Trust Media or Experts
To some of us, it is baffling how long it is taking for some Americans to do their part to effectively fight the spread of COVID-19.
How hard is it…
How hard is it…
Health Policy Lesson: Manage the Inevitable
Eat healthy. Exercise. Wash your hands.
We have learned a lot of lessons about health and healthcare, and are learning new lessons now from the current…
We have learned a lot of lessons about health and healthcare, and are learning new lessons now from the current…
Voting Rights: Full Participation
Voting rights advocates are moving quickly to advance a range of reforms that will protect and improve voting rights in light of COVID-19. As the specific…
Storytelling in the COVID-19 Moment
Right now there’s lots of great advice about messaging in light of COVID-19 and about how to transform engagement strategies with social distancing in…
Protecting Public Water: A Public Will Initiative Case Study
“Privatization of our water systems is a threat to democracy and the common good. Topos Partnership understands that and created tools for advocates…
Framing Science Brief 2: Metaphors
Metaphors can be indispensable tools for conveying complex or abstract ideas in simple, vivid and sticky ways. This Framing Science Brief discusses…
Framing Science Brief 1: Negating Doesn’t – The Downsides of Refutation
Negating or refuting a statement is less effective than we think – and it can even end up reinforcing exactly the wrong perspectives.
How to Talk About Saving the NEA
The upcoming debate over funding for the NEA is an opportunity for advocates to build broader support and shift thinking about the arts as a public good. Here are some tips.
Lessons from Fast Food Strikes
The most effective communicators on fast food strikes connect the issue to “all of us” in four ways....
Framing Job Quality as Common Sense
The common sense idea that thriving communities and a strong economy depend on employers providing reasonable compensation for work has the power to lift a range of job quality solutions.
The Tipping Point on Minimum Wage
Recent wins on minimum wage campaigns suggest we're at a tipping point on raising minimum wage.
Talking About Income Inequality
We may be better off not using the word "inequality" as a leading idea, and using other words for now.
Economy Boosting Jobs + Raising Minimum Wage
A review of our recent research findings on how to clarify for people why raising the minimum wage is good for all of us.
Labor Day Boost
A new "Simply-Put" video provides a brief illustration of how to make the core points emerging from Topos research on communicating job quality, including minimum wage and paid sick days.
The Power and Pitfalls of Talking Inequality
Should advocates reference inequality and a new CBO paper when promoting policy solutions? Maybe not.
The Half the Oil Plan
Building support by animating the research on reducing our use of oil.
Reframing Privatization Schemes
Topos is often invited to share our work on reframing privatization with groups that are on the front lines of countering efforts to shift public…
Focus on Personal Stories
Close Up vs. Big Picture Stories: The Role of Individual Examples in Advocacy Communications
Research and real-life experience, plus perspectives from…
Research and real-life experience, plus perspectives from…
Behind the Kitchen Door
Congratulations to Saru Jayaraman for a successful launch of her new book, Behind the Kitchen Door!
The Explanation Gap
Informed citizens are the foundation of effective democracy, but informing citizens depends on providing the context for issues that most mass media neglect
Lead, Crime, and Politics
Recent spotlight on the correlation between leaded gas and violent crime offers lessons for communicators.
Beyond Winning – Change the Culture
When is a “win” not a win?
Topos Around the World
Topos is going global: Joe in Japan and Margy in South Africa.
Talking About Talking About Poverty
Writing in The Nation, reporter Greg Kaufmann updates readers on the national campaign to include discussion of poverty policy in the Presidential…
Team Topos Tweets the #Debates
Read our real time reactions to the candidates' framing and communicating of the issues.
Debate Season: The Olympics of Framing
Which candidate will win the framing debate? Some thoughts about how to watch.
Responding to the “Job Killer” Allegation
Big corporations need roads, electricity, an educated workforce, healthcare, government-funded science research, and a strong military as much as anyone. They just want you to pay for it.
Topos on Framing
Topos’ unique and innovative approach synthesizes expertise from the cognitive and social sciences as well as public opinion. Most of the insights and…
Values vs. Explanations in Advocacy
Issues & Values
Progressive advocates increasingly accept what Conservatives have long recognized – that issue advocacy is often a competition between…
Progressive advocates increasingly accept what Conservatives have long recognized – that issue advocacy is often a competition between…
Strategies for Debt Ceiling Talk and a Deficit of Understanding
From House Speaker Boehner’s warnings about the next debt ceiling debate to Mitt Romney’s addition of a debt clock prop to his campaign events, conservatives…
Trayvon Martin’s Death and the Media Dialogue
The tragic death of Trayvon Martin is sparking a much-needed dialogue about racism and the plight of black men, and commentators are turning to recent…
World’s First Game-Sourced Film Brings Topos Research to the Screen
This might be the coolest thing ever.
Here’s the press release about this new film. When you watch, be sure to stay after the credits for the “behind-the-scenes”…
Here’s the press release about this new film. When you watch, be sure to stay after the credits for the “behind-the-scenes”…
The Arts Ripple Effect
Reviving the idea that the arts are a public good
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