Framing and argumentation in persuasive messages of social movements

Social movements have become significant actors in socially contested discourses and pursue strategic goals through persuasive communication. Frames and arguments are central influencing factors in persuasive messages, yet both concepts have rarely been considered together. This project theoretically and empirically examines the embedding of argumentative structures within strategic frames in the public communication of climate movements. By combining frame and argument analysis, it investigates how often and in what ways climate movements justify their communicated interpretations, demands, and (protest) actions. Using a manual quantitative content analysis of press releases and tweets from Fridays for Future and the Last Generation between 2021 and 2024, the project compares the frequency and structure of justifications across the two actors, platforms, and over time.