Frame analysis: the central organizing idea - Obama at the 2014 Climate Summit

Abstract: The 2014 Climate Summit at UN headquarters in New York was a major political communicative event where leaders from the private sector, governments and civil society addressed the issue of climate change. Among the attending heads of government was Barack Obama. The purpose of this study is to analyze the content of Obama's 2014 Climate Summit speech. I have used frame analysis along with frame theory to analyze what frames are present in the speech, and to find out how Obama approached the framing of climate change. I have found and interpreted three frames: the alarmist frame, the generational frame and the development frame. Applying frame theory to conduct my hermeneutical analysis of these frames reveal that frames are chosen because they resonate with a large audience. My interpretation is that these frames constitute what is called the central organizing idea, an idea that provides clarity in communication but also requires strategical selection in these circumstances. Obama strategically picks frames that are galvanizing, not polarizing. The concept of framing is highly political and competitive, and applying frame analysis to Obama's speech will provide a deeper understanding of the ideas therein.