Focusing Events, Agenda Setting, and Narrative Numbing

Bibliographic Data

ID12781981
AuthorsMegan K Warnement Wrobel (0000-0003-0351-8086, College of Wooster, corresponding author), Mark K Mcbeth (0000-0001-5700-8255, Idaho State University)
Year2025
Volume43
Issue3
Publication date2025-10-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReview of Policy Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1541-132X • E-ISSN: 1541-1338
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/ropr.70060
OpenAlexW4415620482
LanguageEN
References cited33

Focusing events are important in understanding policy change, as demonstrated in Birkland's work on agenda setting, the multiple streams framework, and the narrative policy framework. These frameworks emphasize the role of focusing events in drawing public attention to broader issues. Policy entrepreneurs leverage narratives to capture the meaning of these events and advocate for policy changes to prevent future occurrences. The COVID‐19 pandemic is a prime example of a massive global focusing event, characterized by a flood of information, misinformation, disinformation, and political polarization. We contend that these factors have diminished the impact of focusing events and the effectiveness of narratives in conveying their significance and attracting public attention. Our study examines the power of focusing events and narratives in the context of natural disasters. We analyzed 18 hurricanes, 6 pre‐COVID, 6 during COVID, and 6 post‐COVID. Using Google Trends searches, we measured public interest in these disasters over a one‐year period for hurricanes on the systemic agenda. Our findings indicate a significant decrease in public attention to hurricanes both during and post‐COVID

Context (archaeology · Flood myth · Leverage (statistics · Narrative · Natural disaster · Politics · Public policy · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Policy Transfer and Learning · Public Relations and Crisis Communication

Tools

Open DOI