Characterization Frames Constructing Endoxa in Activists’ Discourse About the Public Controversy Surrounding Fashion Sustainability

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between characterization frames and argumentation in activists’ discourse about the public controversy surrounding fashion sustainability. While previous studies proposing an argumentative approach to frames have acknowledged that frames are related to underlying implicit premises, how frames select certain implicit premises still needs to be systematically explained. Therefore, drawing on a theoretical framework combining Pragma dialectics (van Eemeren 2010) with the Argumentum Model of Topics an empirical analysis of a social media corpus has been performed in order to examine the connection between characterization frames and underlying implicit premises. This paper offers both a methodological and a theoretical contribution. From a methodological point of view, it offers linguistic-discursive tools for the analysis of characterization frames. From a theoretical perspective, it shows how characterization frames contribute to construct endoxa, i.e. underlying implicit premises, through argumentative patterns.