THE POLITICS OF VALUES: HOW AGENDAS SHAPE AND RESHAPE PUBLIC PRIORITIES

Abstract

Political competition operates on multiple layers, encompassing objective facts and interpretive frameworks. This study delves into the phenomenon of framing, wherein pundits, policy analysts, and interest groups offer divergent factual claims while embedding sociopolitical values to contextualize potential solutions. Frames serve as interpretive patterns, facilitating the coherent classification and efficient processing of information. Framing is not neutral; it selectively emphasizes certain facets of reality while relegating others to the periphery. As a result, specific attributions, judgments, and decisions are suggested, influencing political discourse and policy outcomes. This research builds upon previous scholarship (Entman, 1993; Scheufele, 2000) to explore the pervasive role of framing in both objective news media coverage and the articulation of issue positions by competing political interests (Lewicki, Gray, & Elliott, 2003).