Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Framing Animal Rights In The "Go Veg" Campaigns Of U.S. Animal Rights Organizations, Carrie Packwood Freeman

Communication Faculty Publications

How much do animal rights activists talk about animal rights when they attempt to persuade America's meat-lovers to stop eating nonhuman-animals? This study serves as the basis for a unique evaluation and categorization of problems and solutions as framed by five major U.S. animal rights organizations in their vegan/food campaigns. Findings reveal organizations framed problems as: cruelty and suffering; commodification; harm to humans and the environment; and needless killing. To solve problems, largely blamed on factory farming, activists asked consumers to become "vegetarian" (meaning vegan) or reduce animal product consumption, some requesting "humane"reforms. While certain messages supported animal rights, promoting …