Towards A Typology of Conflict Frames

Abstract

Conflict-framing literature has suffered from a lack of consistent conceptualization and consequently the aim of this paper is to unravel the dimensionality of conflict frames. We conducted a content analysis (N = 1536) to develop a typology of conflict news coverage. Using factor analysis, different aspects of conflict news are distinguished with level of substantiveness and interventionism as the main dimensions. Furthermore, the study focuses on the occurrence of these different types of conflict frames in the news and the role of contextual factors. For example, results indicate that articles with conflict frames contain more interventionism and less strategic framing online, more journalistic intervention in quality newspapers and less substantive news in election times when compared to routine periods. The study contributes to the literature by offering a more nuanced view of the presence of different types of conflict news in the media.

Análisis y efectos de la propaganda yihadista en los medios de comunicación en España (2016-2019)

“…Nuestra propuesta es que ahí deberíamos ver alteraciones significativas del uso de estas rutinas que asemejamos (estirando el concepto) a los encuadres. La teoría de encuadres tienen la finalidad de explicar cómo unos aspectos y consideraciones se destacan sobre otros dentro de un debate político (Bartholomé et al, 2017). Por supuesto, dentro de un discurso no tienen por qué estar presentes las cuatro categorías propuestas por Entman (1993) en su totalidad, pero sí, al menos, una de ellas, lo que a la postre permitirá diferenciar entre encuadres sustantivos y encuadres genéricos.…”

Regaining tractability through reframing of a watershed management conflict: A case of southwestern Puerto Rico

“…One difficulty when following this approach is that stakeholders influence each other as conflicts are presented and molded, so the physical presence of stakeholders in one location may also lead to undesirable outcomes, even if intended in the spirit of collaboration. Participants may choose to engage in strategic framing (Bartholomé, Lecheler, & de Vreese, ), which focuses on how to influence others and manipulate an issue, rather than defining the conflict at hand. This type of interaction is therefore not conducive to diagnostic framing, or looking for a less biased approach to identifying a conflict (Tannen, ).…”

The role of conflict framing and social identity in public opinion about land use change: An experimental test in the Australian context

“…These frames in communication (the emphasis in messaging on specific considerations of the issue) affect frames in thought (an individual's understanding of the issue and the importance of difference considerations) through the framing effect (Druckman ). As a type of framing, conflict framing is commonly used by the news media when reporting on issues with a degree of controversy or difference in opinions (Bartholomé et al ). This is where messaging about an issue is constructed to “emphasize conflict between individuals, groups, or institutions as a means of capturing audience interest” (Semetko and Valkenburg , p. 95).…”

“…Conflict framing by the news media generally emphasises interpersonal or intergroup conflict (Iyengar et al ; Corbett ; Levendusky and Malhotra ). This can be the use of anecdotes to represent an issue as being polarised between extreme people and groups, compared with outlining moderate positions and complexity (Levendusky and Malhotra ; Bartholomé et al ). As an example, a hypothetical news media headline about land use change without conflict framing may be Protected area proposed next to mineral rich lands , whereas viewing the issue through a conflict frame would see the headline as Miners fight environmentalists' proposal for a protected area next to mineral rich lands .…”

“…As an example, a hypothetical news media headline about land use change without conflict framing may be Protected area proposed next to mineral rich lands , whereas viewing the issue through a conflict frame would see the headline as Miners fight environmentalists' proposal for a protected area next to mineral rich lands . Although issues of conflict can be and often are in the public interest, conflict framing in the media routinely emphasises performances of incivility between groups, and the nature of relationship conflict, that is, dysfunctional conflict ( sensu Colvin et al ), rather than substantive conflict between goals or interests (Bartholomé et al ). The motivation for journalists to report on conflict may be in order to help citizens to understand the nature of competing, and sometimes vested, interests in shaping how major decisions are made, reflecting the perceived role of journalism as the fourth estate—an objective watchdog defending the interests of the citizenry (Hanusch ; Corbett ).…”