This book chapter, authored by Jennifer Dodge is published in the book Interpretive Policy Analysis at https://doi.org/10.4337/9781802202472.00011

This chapter provides an overview of the processes of framing with particular attention to the ‘contestation’ approach, which draws on both social movement theories and theories of critical and interpretive policy analysis to view framing as an intentional, strategic activity to influence policy. It addresses an important question for interpretive policy scholars: can framing analysis be critical in the sense of foregrounding justice with freedom from domination and oppression, and if so, in what ways? It makes explicit the ways framing analysis in practice is already critical and argues that while some framing analyses limit their critique within the bounds of a frame-critical approach—which relies on policy actors’ own critical framing to expose domination and oppression and the fight for justice—others adopt a more explicitly critical lens by integrating critical concepts and theories into their frameworks. The argument draws out specific critical moves that explicitly foreground justice with freedom from domination and oppression in framing analysis. The chapter illustrates the critical moves with examples from contemporary policy conflicts and suggests that collectively these critical moves comprise a more explicit critical framing analysis approach. The discussion addresses the importance of critical framing analysis for understanding contemporary social transformations.