Simon Ganahl and Georg Vogt: Out of Frames – Mapping and Mediating Environmental Controversies

In this talk, we will present the interconnected findings and methodologies of two research initiatives conducted at the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten: "Climate Media Frames" (CliMeF, 2022–2025) and its follow-on project, "Out of Frames: Mapping and Mediating Environmental Controversies in Lower Austria." Building upon CliMeF's framing analysis of wind energy and soy cultivation in Austrian media, "Out of Frames" develops novel approaches to map and mediate these environmental controversies. We detail CliMeF's comprehensive content analysis, revealing key dichotomies in the media coverage on wind energy and a dynamic historical trajectory of soy framing since the 1970s. Subsequently, we introduce the theoretical grounding of "Out of Frames" in actor-network theory and controversy mapping, alongside its innovative methodological tools: "polyphonic personas" and "ecodrama workshops." We argue that these participatory and multimodal approaches, inspired by more-than-human design research, offer promising pathways for fostering multi-perspectival understanding and advancing ecological solutions in an increasingly polarized environmental communication landscape.

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Mag. DDr. Simon Ganahl is researcher & lecturer in the Media Business Research Group, Institute of Creative Media Technologies, University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten.

FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Georg Vogt is senior researcher & lecturer in the Media Creation Research Group, Institute of Creative Media Technologies, University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten.