Politics:
Framing the Discourse
Carla Nye, DNP, CPNP, CNE, CHSE
Clinical Professor
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing
We are going to
talk about politics!!!
Politics are all around us
It is imperative for you to read, analyze, examine your frame, and to discuss and advocate
Politics – definition: the activities associated with the governance of a country or other organization, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.
Politics are controversial!!!
We need to talk about politics, but we also need to be respectful.
Objectives
Introduce the field of sociolinguistics and explain its relevance to Health Policy, Leadership and Advocacy;
Discuss the concept of political discourse;
Explore your political leanings, and reflect on the impact of how you grew up, what you have experienced, and pivotal events in your life that shaped who you are and what you believe.
Conflict exists whenever incompatible activities occur (Deutsch, 1973)
Morals
Values
Perceptions
Morals
Values
Perceptions
Morals
Values
Perceptions
Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics: (micro sociolinguistics) The study of the relationship between language and society, of language variation, and of attitudes about language.
Sociology of Language: (macro sociolinguistics) The study of the relationships between language and society with the goal of understanding the structure of society. Often concerned with large-scale socio-political issues.
Think Piaget – assimilating repative consisten behaviors.
14% at the extremes and the remaining 86% are in the Exhausted Minority
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/02/05/republicans-and-democrats-have-grown-further-apart-on-what-the-nations-top-priorities-should-be/
You are a product of your environment – nature and nurture
Simple Framing
Every word evokes a frame;
Words defined within a frame evoke the frame;
Negating a frame evokes the frame;
Evoking a frame reinforces the frame;
According to Lackoff:
Republicans frame
Democrats explain
Liberal Conservative
Freedom to choose Right to life
Right to life Making the streets safer
Planned EOL discussions Death Panel
Healthcare for all Freedom to choose
Gun Control Gun Safety
Open borders Controlled immigration
Undocumented immigrants Illegal alien
Productive Conflict Resolution
Development of conditions that allow reformulation of the problem
Availability of diverse ideas that can flexibly combined into novel patterns
Detachment from original viewpoint to see conflict from new perspective
The goal should never be to change a fellow member’s mind on an issue or candidate, but to elevate their thinking and discussions on political topics.
Assuming that someone with different political beliefs is somehow intellectually or morally deficient ends the conversation before it begins.
Etiquette for Effective Structured Controversies
Be respectful of each other.
Disagree with another person’s position and ideas but don’t be critical of the person.
Don’t take criticism of your ideas as a personal attack.
Listen to everyone’s ideas, especially if you don’t agree with them.
Change your mind when the evidence supports this.
Try to understand both sides of the controversy.
Understand the position differences before trying to reach consensus.
Focus on reaching the best outcome, not on winning.
Encourage one to consider previously unexamined ideas
Stimulates interest and sparks curiosity
Improve advocacy skills
Enables higher level of decision making and problem solving
Moves us out of the win-lose solutions
Politics