1 - Perspectives on framing

Summary

This chapter introduces the concept of framing, juxtaposing its physical and metaphorical aspects through an engaging narrative involving an art project. It explores the boundary-setting, contextualizing, and perception-shaping functions of frames, arguing for their pivotal role in human understanding and interaction. The chapter presents framing as both an ancient and a contemporary tool of influence, deeply embedded in human cognition and social interaction. It compares framing with classical rhetoric, suggesting that, like rhetorical strategies, framing shapes perceptions, decisions, and behaviours by emphasizing some aspects while omitting others. At the same time, framing vastly exceeds rhetoric by including tacit, wordless, and even non-communicative dimensions of social influence. The chapter posits that framing is a nuanced art form, capable of both clarifying and obscuring reality, thus influencing societal norms and individual beliefs. By highlighting the dynamic nature of framing and its capacity to manipulate perceptions consciously and unconsciously, the chapter sets a foundational perspective for the book’s further exploration of how framing operates within various social phenomena, including politics, media, and personal identity.