Framing the Flint Water Crisis

Interrogating Local Nonprofit Sector Responses

Bibliographic Data

ID12450385
AuthorsAshley E Nickels (0000-0002-5183-246X, Kent State University, corresponding author), Amanda D Clark (0000-0002-3110-5871, Kent State University)
Year2019
Volume41
Issue3
Pages200-224
Publication date2019-06-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAdministrative Theory & Praxis (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1084-1806 • E-ISSN: 1949-0461
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10841806.2019.1621653
OpenAlexW2959387619
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited54

The Flint Water Crisis captured the attention of the world in January 2016 when both the state and federal governments declared a public health emergency in Flint, MI. Building on framing theory, we look to both the theory of casual stories and critical intersectionality to explain both how and why local grassroots associations (GAs) and high-capacity nonprofits (HCNPs) differed in their rhetorical responses to the crisis. Interviews, speeches, and op-eds published from both groups between May 2014 and May 2017 were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. We find that, while all spoke in terms of helping the community recover from the crisis, the narratives surrounding the crisis unfolded along two distinct paths—one focusing on the technical responses and moving forward, while the other focused on identifying root causes and calling for intersectional solutions

Casual · Community organizing · Crisis communication · Framing (construction · Geography · Grassroots · Intersectionality · Media studies · Narrative · Narrative inquiry · Political science · Public relations · Rhetorical question · Sociology · Disaster Management and Resilience · Gender Studies · Law · Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research