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Framing and Blaming

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Crises, Inquiries and the Politics of Blame

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Abstract

The first of two theoretical chapters, this chapter addresses the phenomenon of blame games in detail. Starting with the way in which perceptions and framing play a role in the blame game, issues such as who is going to be blamed and how much blame that actor is going to receive are discussed. Various ways to deal with blame are then presented: policy strategies, agency strategies, and presentational strategies. Possible downsides of these strategies are also addressed. The chapter concludes with the logic of selecting a proper blame response—a selection which is influenced by actors’ staged retreat approach and the theoretical assumption that high levels of blame will only decrease if a more accommodative response is used.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Kritiek blijft overeind in rapport Schipholbrand. (2006, 21 September). Trouw; Donner en Dekker treden af na rapport. (2006, 21 September). De Volkskrant; Burgemeester Haarlemmermeer dient ontslag in. (2006, 21 September). De Volkskrant.

  2. 2.

    House of Commons, Prison Service, [264] (16.10.1995) 30–43, p. 31.

  3. 3.

    The Times (1994, 14 September). Who Goes There? The Times, Section Editorials, p. 15.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Sandra L. Resodihardjo

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  1. Sandra L. Resodihardjo
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Correspondence to Sandra L. Resodihardjo .

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Resodihardjo, S.L. (2020). Framing and Blaming. In: Crises, Inquiries and the Politics of Blame. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17531-3_2

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