Dr. Ulrike Gretzel University of Wollongong Climate change and gender: Framing and sentiment in the social media domain

Agenda-setting

Framing Frame = central organizing idea Issue-definition Making certain aspects more salient than others Mass media actively set the frames of reference that readers or viewers use to interpret and discuss public events/issues (Tuchman, 1978) Frames influence opinions by stressing specific values, facts, and other considerations, endowing them with greater apparent relevance to the issue than they might appear to have under an alternative frame (Nelson et al., 1997)

Audience Frame Cognitive structure Schema used for interpretation

Climate Change Frames Alarmism Spatial frames – international issue Lack of scientific fact, focus on human-interest stories Focus on extreme weather events – language of terror leading to policy paralysis (Hulme, 2009) Partisan issue

Social media Definition: = a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user- generated content (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010).

Political Power of Social Media

Citizen media Participatory media Democratic media Networks of influence

Climate change + animal x

Climate Change + animal x

Research Question How are issues related to climate change/sustainability and gender conceptualized/framed by different groups/media?

Global Women Scholars Network

Climate Change and Gender Issue Space What is the issue space? What are the frames? Frames salient in different spheres

Study 1 Qualitative study of how sustainability activists and scientists frame contributions and challenges related to a gender perspective on climate change/sustainability 78 respondents

Challenges for Women Leaders It’s a men’s world Discrimination Stereotypes Underrepresentation Voices not heard Not being taken seriously/lack of respect Lack of access Lack of financial resources Lack of knowledge/education Gender-specific roles/obligations Lack of role models

Contributions of Women Different perspectives: –Time horizon –Holistic –Grounded in direct experience Traits Approaches Capabilities Priorities Authority Knowledge/awareness Strength in numbers

Study 2 Climate change and gender frames in news media and social media sphere Mediawatch on Climate Change Post Rio +20 (June 2012)

Platform

Climate Change Coverage

General Climate Change Coverage News Media Social Media

General Issue Space & Sentiment in Social Media

Gender: News Media

Climate Change & Gender: News Media

Gender: Eco-NGOs

Climate Change & Gender: Eco-NGOs

Gender: Fortune 1000

Climate Change & Gender: Fortune 1000

Gender: Social Media

Climate Change & Gender: Social Media

Conclusion Complex issue space Clearly different frames present Who is represented in the social media sphere? More research needed on how frames come about (e.g. how influential is social network, attendance of specific meetings, etc.)

Questions?