How do social movements shape public opinion and mobilize support? This review examines the role of framing processes in understanding social movement dynamics, highlighting collective action frames as central to their character and course. Framing processes have come to be regarded, alongside resource mobilization and political opportunity processes, as a central dynamic in understanding the character and course of social movements. Framing processes have come to be regarded, alongside resource mobilization and political opportunity processes, as a central dynamic in understanding the character and course of social movements. The authors review how collective action frames have been conceptualized, including their characteristic and variable features. They then examine the literature related to framing dynamics and processes, reviewing the literature regarding various contextual factors that constrain and facilitate framing processes. The review concludes with an elaboration of the consequences of framing processes for other movement processes and outcomes. The authors seek throughout to provide clarification of the linkages between framing concepts/processes and other conceptual and theoretical formulations relevant to social movements, such as schemas and ideology. This review provides a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in social movements, framing theory, and collective action.
Published in the Annual Review of Sociology, this paper is a perfect fit for the journal's mission of providing comprehensive overviews of key topics in sociology. By reviewing and assessing the literature on framing processes and social movements, the article offers a valuable resource for sociologists and researchers interested in understanding the dynamics of collective action. The focus on conceptual clarity and theoretical linkages aligns with the journal's commitment to advancing sociological knowledge.