The Politics of Common Sense: How Social Movements Use Public Discourse to Change Politics and Win Acceptance

273 Pages·2015·1.7 MB·English

by  Deva R. Woodly

The Politics of Common Sense

The Politics of Common Sense
How Social Movements Use Public Discourse to
Change Politics and Win Acceptance
DEVA R. WOODLY
1
1
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Deva R. Woodly
The politics of common sense : how social movements use public discourse to
change politics and win acceptance/Deva R. Woodly.
pages cm
ISBN 978–0–19–020398–6 (hardback) — ISBN 978–0–19–020399–3 (paperback)
1. Communication in politics—United States. 2. Communication in social action—United
States. 3. Social movements—Political aspects—United States. 4. Living wage movement—Political
aspects—United States. 5. Same-sex marriage—Political aspects—United States. 6. Politics,
Practical—United States. I. Title.
JA85.2.U6W65 2015
322.4—dc23
2014038890
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
For Anthony, Vaughn, and Layla

CONTENTS
Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction: The Talk of Movements 1
1. Mainstream Discourse, Public Meaning, and the Political
Character of Persuasion 19
2. A Tale of Two Movements: Living Wage 35
3. A Tale of Two Movements: Marriage Equality 67
4. The Discursive Architecture of Resonance 97
5. Political Acceptance and the Process of Political Change 127
6. From Marginal to Mainstream 161
Co nclusion: After Acceptance: The Tea Party, Occupy, and Prospects for
Political Transformation 209
App endix A: Principal Component Analysis for the Examination of Arguments and
Frames: Step by Step 221
Appendix B: List of Codes 223
Notes 233
Bibliography 241
Index 253

ILLUSTRATIONS
Figures
2.1 Living Wage and Marriage Equality Timeline 36
5.1 Linking Existing Values to New Purposes 150
5.2 Discursive Model of Public Authority 153
5.3 Discursive Model of Political Acceptance 156
6.1 Frame Density of Marriage Equality Debate, 1994–2004 200
Charts
6.1 Marriage Equality and the Living Wage in the New York Times 171
6.2 Stories on the Living Wage in the New York Times and
USA Today 171
6.3 Pro- and Anti-Living Wage Arguments in the New York Times 172
6.4 Weighted Attention to Pro- and Anti-Living Wage Frames in the
New York Times 173
6.5 Pro- and Anti-Living Wage Arguments in USA Today 176
6.6 Weighted Attention to Pro- and Anti-Living Wage Frames in
USA Today 177
6.7 Stories on Marriage Equality in the New York Times and
USA Today 183
6.8 Pro-, Anti-, and Neutral Marriage Equality Arguments in the
New York Times 184
6.9 Weighted Attention to Pro-, Anti-, and Neutral Marriage Equality
Frames in the New York Times 195
ix