Talking Past Each Other? Cultural Framing of Skeptical and Convinced Logics in the Climate Change Debate

Ross School of Business Paper No. 1154

Organization & Environment, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 3-33

56 Pages Posted: 28 Feb 2011 Last revised: 19 Oct 2014

See all articles by Andrew John Hoffman

Andrew John Hoffman

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Date Written: February 1, 2011

Abstract

This paper analyzes the extent to which two institutional logics around climate change - the climate change "convinced" and climate change "skeptical" logics - are truly competing or talking past each other in a way that can be described as a logic schism. Drawing on the concept of framing from social movement theory, it uses qualitative field observations from the largest climate deniers conference in the U.S. and a dataset of almost 800 op/eds from major news outlets over a two-year period to examine how convinced and skeptical arguments of opposing logics employ frames and issue categories to make arguments about climate change. This paper finds that the two logics are engaging in different debates on similar issues with the former focusing on solutions while the latter debates the definition of the problem. It concludes that the debate appears to be reaching a level of polarization where one might begin to question whether meaningful dialogue and problem solving has become unavailable to participants. The implications of such a logic schism is a shift from an integrative debate focused on addressing interests to a distributive battle over concessionary agreements with each side pursuing its goals by demonizing the other. Avoiding such an outcome requires the activation of, as yet, dormant "broker" frames (technology, religion and national security), the redefinition of existing ones (science, economics, risk, ideology) and the engagement of effective "climate brokers" to deliver them.

Keywords: Institutional Logic, Cultural Frame, Issue Category, Climate Change, Climate Skepticism, Logic Schism, Challenger Logic, Climate Broker

JEL Classification: M10, M14

Suggested Citation

Hoffman, Andrew John, Talking Past Each Other? Cultural Framing of Skeptical and Convinced Logics in the Climate Change Debate (February 1, 2011). Ross School of Business Paper No. 1154, Organization & Environment, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 3-33, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1768882 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1768882

Andrew John Hoffman (Contact Author)

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business ( email )

701 Tappan Street, R4390
Ann Arbor, MI MI 48109
United States
734.763.9455 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.andrewhoffman.net/

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
184
Abstract Views
1,336
Rank
294,827
PlumX Metrics