Days of Decision:
A Framing Theory of Public Opposition to the Use of Force Abroad
ABSTRACT
This paper examines when the American public supports the use of force abroad and under
what conditions it opposes it. While the President attempts to define the objective of his
policy to the public, other political actors may challenge this definition by offering an
alternative “framing” of it. This process of public contestation is captured in mainstream
media coverage and has a decisive impact on public support or opposition to the policy. I
elaborate a theory of how the framing of policy objectives influences public opinion. I
hypothesize that the public will
support the use of force abroad when the President’s
framing of the policy as foreign policy restraint (FPR) of an aggressive adversary is
unchallenged. Conversely, when the President’s framing of the policy as FPR is contested
in public discourse by a counter-frame, which portrays the policy as being about internal
political change, support for the use of force abroad will decline.
Hector Perla Jr.
Department of Political Science
University of California, Los Angeles
4289 Bunche Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1472
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Paper prepared for delivery at the 46
th
annual meeting of the International Studies
Association, March 1-5, 2005, Honolulu, Hawaii.