Naming and Framing Public Issues

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

2. Overview of Naming and Framing • 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. • Tools for Naming and Framing Public Issues • Apply tools to develop issue maps that help people weigh options for moving forward together.

3. Sponsors • ALACenter 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.

4. 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.

5. Overview of Webinar: Naming and Framing Public Issues • Community Issues • Naming & Framing • Problem Types • Diverse Perspectives • Public Deliberation • Public Space • Q&A

6. 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 cmccauley@mathewscenter.org

7. Identifying the Issue

8. Naming the Issue: What Do People Care About? • 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

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

10. Deliberating on the Issue • 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

11. Acting Publicly • 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”

12. 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 cfoster@mathewscenter.org

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

14. 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. Source: Kettering Foundation, Naming and Framing Difficult issues to Make Sound Decisions, (Dayton, OH: Charles F. Kettering Foundation, 2011), Pp. 2 – 5.

15. 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. 23-29.

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

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 rturner@mathewscenter.org

18. Types of Problems “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

19. Tame Problems 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.

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

21. Examples of Wicked Problems • 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?

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

23. 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: cacaywood@cox.net

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

25. Community Issues • Need: • Community voices • for • Values & concerns • Diverse perspectives • Transparency/trust

26. Community Issues

27. Community Issues

28. What is deliberation? Presenter: Patty Dineen National Issues Forums Institute Contact Patty at: dineenp@msn.com

29. 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...”

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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.

33. 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 nancy.kranich@rutgers.edu

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

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

36. 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

37. Welcome Participants • 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

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

39. Questions? Contact information Carolyn Caywood, cacaywood@cox.net Patty Dineen, dineenp@msn.com CristinFoster, cfoster@mathewscenter.org Nancy Kranich, nancy.kranich@rutgers.edu Chris McCauley, cmccauley@mathewscenter.org Robert Turner, rturner@mathewscenter.org Learn more and continue today’s conversation on ALA Connect: Libraries Foster Community Engagement

40. Webinar, Session 2 Tools for Naming And Framing Public Issues Wednesday December 3, 2014 4 pm EST, 3 pm CST, 2 pm MST, 1 pm PST To register for Session 2, visit: https://t.e2ma.net/click/qc3gg/iiim8i/25l88b