Mixed Methods Framework for Understanding Visual Frames in Social Movements

Abstract

ABSTRACTAttempting to understand visual frame perspectives in social movement posts online is important to develop an account of how social movements communicate and for what purpose. This paper builds a Mixed‐Methods Matrix framework that combines computational applications with visual methodologies to discover frames of meaning making in a large image collection. Frame analysis and Critical Visual Methodology are reviewed and used in the framework to work in tangent with quantitative research methods. The quantitative methods consist of network analysis applications and network structure analysis. Visual sentiment analysis is explored using methods of computer vision. The methods framework is presented in the form of a matrix that enables researchers to identify applications for looking at social movements online through theoretical and computational approaches. The broader implication for the framework is to help researchers understand how online image collections can show meaning through perspective.