Causal Narrative Frames: A Discursive Tool to Justify Solutions?

Welfare states and policies are at a critical juncture and reforms run at full speed. Since welfare is a medium of legitimacy, citizens opinion vis-à-vis welfare reforms are of particular importance. However, solution do not necessarily precedes problem definition. What is more, it has been showed that when it comes welfare discourse are of particular importance for citizens to accurately articulate policies outcomes with their preferences, attitudes, and behaviour. This is why investigating the way welfare policy solutions are discussed by citizens and the possible media influence on these discussions is important. Re-analysing of focus group data and collecting media coverage data this paper argues that citizens discursively rely on causal narrative frames to express their opinion. These are important because they also serve as basis for citizens’ assessment of policy solution. Although media set the stage, their ability to influence the causal narrative frame citizens rely on is limited.