Singleton, Benedict
- Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2019Peer reviewed
The evolution of the super-whale. Complexity and simplicity in environmental communication
Singleton, Benedict E.
Abstract
This article discusses the tendency within environmental communication to homogenise diverse situations. Utilising the case of whale conservation it describes how actors on both sides of the whaling debate utilise the 'super-whale' - a homogenised discursive construct. The article argues that there are pragmatic advantages to such framing of environmental situations but also costs. In the case of whale conservation, the super-whale maintains focus on whaling rather than other, arguably more pressing, threats to whale species. More generally, utilising such framing tactics arguably prevent the voicing of new narratives about the global social order.
Keywords
Whaling; Whales; Framing; Supermantra; Environmental communication
Published in
Marine Policy
2019, volume: 99, pages: 170-172
SLU Authors
Associated SLU-program
SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre
UKÄ Subject classification
Media and Communication Studies
Social Anthropology
Sociology (excluding Social work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.10.018
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/96885