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

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

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

Social Media Fortune 1000News

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

Climate Change & Gender: News Media

Gender: Eco-NGOs

Climate Change & Gender: Eco-NGOs

Climate Change & Gender: Eco-NGOs

Gender: Fortune 1000

Climate Change & Gender: Fortune 1000

Climate Change & Gender: Fortune 1000

Gender: Social Media

Climate Change & 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?

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