Naming and Framing Public Issues 1 Beyond Deadlock: A Better Way to Talk about Difficult Issues Webinar 1 October 14, 2014; 4 EDT, 3 CDT, 2 MDT, 1 PDT

Overview of Naming and Framing 1.Beyond Deadlock: A Better Way to Talk about Difficult Issues  Learn better ways to help people work together to talk about public issues and make choices.  Uncover the deeper concerns of our communities by listening to people reveal what really matters to them. 2.Tools for Naming and Framing Public Issues  Apply tools to develop issue maps that help people weigh options for moving forward together. 2

Sponsors  ALA Center for Civic Life  Promotes community engagement and fosters public deliberation through libraries.  David Mathews Center for Civic Life  Fosters infrastructure, habits, and capacities for more effective civic engagement and innovative decision making. 3

Webinar Participants Respond  Type into the chat box any questions as we go along.  We’ll either respond as we go, or wait until the end.  Begin by saying hello and telling us where you’re located. 4

Overview of Webinar: Naming and Framing Public Issues 1.Community Issues 2.Naming & Framing 3.Problem Types 4.Diverse Perspectives 5.Public Deliberation 6.Public Space 7.Q&A 5

Naming and Framing Bullying Chris McCauley David Mathews Center for Civic Life Naming and Framing Public Issues Beyond Deadlock: A Better Way to Talk about Difficult Issues 6

Identifying the Issue 7

Naming the Issue: What Do People Care About? 8  Naming the issue in public terms: “Our kids are suffering”; “I stopped going to school”  Share concerns – What do we hold valuable?  Wicked problems (like bullying) do not have a single, clear solution – multiple approaches emerge when we share concerns

Framing the Issue: What Should We Do About It? 9  Alabamians framed three unique approaches to addressing bullying  Approaches: 1.Get Tough On Bullying 2.Equip Students to Address Bullying 3.Engage the Community and Parents in Bullying Solutions  Developed an issue guide that included information on bullying and approaches

Deliberating on the Issue 10  Using the framework, Alabamians deliberated on bullying throughout 2012 – 2013  Examined approaches, weighed costs and consequences, discussed tradeoffs, made decisions, and took action  Neutral moderators and recorders  156 forums, 44 counties, 4,500 citizens

Acting Publicly 11  Action: Birmingham librarians, Selma summit, and Troy 5K  Still learning together  Comprehensive report outlining themes and common ground - Public Judgment  Not scientific, no handbook, no single “strategy”

Naming & Framing Issues for Deliberation Cristin Foster David Mathews Center for Civic Life Naming and Framing Public Issues Beyond Deadlock: A Better Way to Talk about Difficult Issues 12

Public Opinion to Public Judgment Source: Yankelovich, Daniel. Coming to Public Judgment. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1991

Naming Issues for Deliberation  Naming issues for deliberation captures the shared concerns of citizens.  It defines a problem in public terms - terms that are meaningful to citizens. Issue Bullying Expert Terms Power imbalance and a repetition of a pattern of behavior Public Terms Kids are suffering; “I don’t want to go to school” Source: Kettering Foundation, Naming and Framing Difficult issues to Make Sound Decisions, (Dayton, OH: Charles F. Kettering Foundation, 2011), Pp. 2 – 5.

Framing Issues for Deliberation  Uncovers approaches, or options, for acting on a problem.  Highlights potential solutions to the issue as well as inherent tensions, tradeoffs, costs, and consequences. Source: Kettering Foundation, Naming and Framing Difficult issues to Make Sound Decisions, (Dayton, OH: Charles F. Kettering Foundation, 2011), Pp. 6 – 8. Source: Kettering Foundation,” Framing Issues for Deliberating to Make Choices: A Curriculum Guide for Workshops,” Participant Resource Book: Research Report on Public Deliberation and Public Action, (Dayton, OH: Charles F. Kettering Foundation, 2002), Pp

Why Naming & Framing for Deliberation? 16 Source: Adapted from Naming and Framing Difficult Issues to Make Sound Decisions (Kettering Foundation: Dayton, OH), 2011, Pg. 17.

Types of Problems Robert Turner David Mathews Center for Civic Life Naming and Framing Public Issues Beyond Deadlock: A Better Way to Talk about Difficult Issues 17

Types of Problems 18 “Who defines a problem and the name it is given determine the number of people who will be available to solve it and the kind of response that will emerge.” (21) David Mathews, For Communities to Work

Tame Problems 19 TAME PROBLEMS Problems that have clear, scientific solutions. Outcome is very clear. Examples: 1.) Chemist determining the structure of a compound 2.) Pythagorean Theorem 3.) Chess player attempting to achieve checkmate in five moves Source: Rittel, Horst W.J. & Webber, Melvin M. “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning.” Policy Sciences 4 (1973): 155 – 169. Digital.

Wicked Problems 20 WICKED PROBLEMS Difficult to define; no clear solution. Tricky and aggressive. Outcomes are uncertain. Examples: 1.Bullying 2.Changing school curriculum 3.National debt Source: Rittel, Horst W.J. & Webber, Melvin M. “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning.” Policy Sciences 4 (1973): 155 – 169. Digital.

Examples of Wicked Problems 21 POLL QUESTIONS:  Can you think of any specific examples of wicked problems in your community? If so, would you be willing to share with the group by typing them into the chat box?

Types of Problems – Conclusion 22 Our Approach: 1.Not prescriptive 2.Not exhaustive 3.Emphasizes democratic practices 4.Emphasizes shared learning 5.Encourages citizens to address wicked problems in creative ways 6.Focuses on building relationships, making decisions, and strengthening communities

Community Issues Carolyn Caywood ALA Center for Civic Life Naming and Framing Public Issues Beyond Deadlock: A Better Way to Talk about Difficult Issues Convener, Virginia Beach Public Library Forums and Fellow, Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement Contact Carolyn at:

Redevelopment = Ending blight Highest & best use Economic development versus Loss of property rights Loss of history Loss of community Community Issues

Need: Community voices for  Values & concerns  Diverse perspectives  Transparency/trust Community Issues

What is deliberation? Presenter: Patty Dineen National Issues Forums Institute Contact Patty at:

Building an Issue Framework “Experts and the public see the various facets of issues from such different perspectives that there is usually a huge gap to bridge.” “...requires doing research to learn what the expert and public perceptions of an issue are and then comparing them and finding a method to bridge the differences between them...”

What is a framework for deliberation?  A basic structure  A tool to help people work on a public problem  Helps people consider several possible approaches  Presents information, costs, consequences, tradeoffs  Helps people make choices about what to do

De*lib"er*ate From Latin deliberatus, (“I consider, weigh well”), from de + *libero, libro (“I weigh”), from *libera, libra (“a balance”) 1. Weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step

People deliberate about health insurance Deliberation is a kind of talk that helps people with diverse views and experiences work on a public problem together by carefully considering a variety of approaches to a problem.

Using Public Space for Naming and Framing Workshops Nancy Kranich ALA Center for Civic Life Naming and Framing Public Issues Beyond Deadlock: A Better Way to Talk about Difficult Issues 33

Withdrawal from the Public Square  Far too many have fled the public square  No means to engage  Loss of public space 34

Hearing the Other Side  Too few opportunities exist today that expose Americans to diverse views and engage them in authentic dialogue about pressing problems

Safe Public Spaces “Places essential to the political processes of democracy”—Ray Oldenburg  Trusted  Safe spaces  Neutral  Boundary spanning  Accessible  For everyone/inclusive  Interactive  Respectful of all voices 36

 Welcome all voices  Courteous, fair and even handed  Balanced, focused and productive participation  Carefully designed moderation and facilitation  Room set up for all to contribute Welcome Participants 37

Safe Community Places 38  Grounded in the community  Leveraged through partnerships  Diverse and Inclusive  Comfortable for all

Questions? Contact information Carolyn Caywood, Patty Dineen, Cristin Foster, Nancy Kranich, Chris McCauley, Robert Turner, Learn more and continue today’s conversation on ALA Connect: Libraries Foster Community Engagement

Webinar, Session 2 Tools for Naming And Framing Public Issues Wednesday December 3, pm EST, 3 pm CST, 2 pm MST, 1 pm PST To register for Session 2, visit: