Fighting Neo-liberalism with Neo-liberal Discourse: ATTAC Norway, Foucault and Collective Action Framing1

Abstract

Snow & Benford (1988, 1992; Snow et al., 1986 Snow, D. A., Rochford, E. B., Wordon, S. K. and Benford, R. D. 1986. Frame alignment processes, micromobilization, and movement participation. American Sociological Review, 51: 464–481. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) have been important in developing framing theory in the studies of social movements. This tradition has offered new insights into the study of social movements, in particular with the emphasis on the rhetorical use of language through the conceptualization of collective action frames. Still, it has been less coherent when conceptualizing the structural aspects of language and these aspects have also inspired less empirical work. Responding to such a shortcoming, the present paper includes discourse analysis as seen in the writing of Foucault, Laclau & Mouffe and Fairclough. In a framework combining elements of framing theory and discourse analysis, the paper seeks to understand the ATTAC’s success in Norway in 2001. Important parts of such an understanding may include the organization's collective action framing. The sophisticated framing was embedded in the popular and new discourses of globalization, plurality and flexibility. When ATTAC framed its rhetoric in these discourses, mobilization may have become easier because it had not yet been institutionalised in competing political organizations.

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