Page 79 - Demo

Visual and Textual Storylines by Coalitions in a Policy Controversy773online space that is networked around an issue as a locative and demarcated space (Rogers, 2013). Our study uses the notion of differences in interpretations among audiences as a starting point. It does so by selecting different internet regions for studying visualizations employed by discourse coalitions. And indeed, in some of our empirical examples, the analysis reveals a distinct ‘local’ visual storyline such as an identity of an area or a routine activity. By remaining alert to a possible emergence of both domestic and global storylines, we contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the organization of publics around a controversial issue.3.6 ConclusionVisualizations play various roles in discourse coalition formation. Although our approach does not try to detect causal relations between the use of visualizations and the dynamic evolution of discourse coalitions, it does allow for the study of the delicate interplay between visual and textual storylines and reveals how and when visual and discursive storylines overlap and a VDC is formed. The analysis utilizes visual data to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms shaping policy controversies and the emergence of publics and issues in them. These emerging publics are increasingly important in the governance of controversies. This study also responds to the call for increased attention to the effects framing of an issue has on the organization of publics (Marres & Rogers, 2005; Van Beek et al., 2020), as it casts light on non-linguistic elements that may influence the dynamics of framing and the establishment of discourses.The VDC concept opens up new ways of research as it integrates discourse analysis with visual analysis. The added visual dimension is not just an extra layer that gets draped over the controversies. By deploying the notion of VDCs and detecting the visual relations in the formation of discourse networks, it becomes possible to identify the visual formation of various coalitions, such as the environmental threat, agnotological, gas rush, business-as-usual, and environmental risk coalitions.Efrat.indd 77 19-09-2023 09:47