Introduction
Using incredible language data from advocacy, opposition, political speech and popular culture, Anat Shenker-Osorio’s latest research analyses why certain messages resonate where others falter in the human rights sector across Australia, the UK and the US.
The summary report, ‘A Brilliant Way of Living Our Lives; How to Talk About Human Rights‘, is complemented by 53 interviews with advocates in order to draw out what we wish people believed – the vision for which we’d like to inspire increased activation from present supporters and persuade new ones. Recommendations here also draw upon previous research and empirical testing across issues related to human rights.
Contents
Messaging Pitfalls and Fixers
Rewrites of common messaging pitfalls with examples you can use in your work.
1. Implying human rights exist in an apolitical space where people are treated equally
2. Suggesting human rights apply to atomistic individuals divorced from social connections
3. Implying human rights violations are of origin unknown
4. Negation of damaging claims
5. Making rights the ends or implied agents of change, not the means to human betterment
Words that Work
Helping organisation to shift from current language to what we are aiming to move toward and the reason why.
Contending with Common Critiques
A number of common attacks are addressed here with example responses following the guidelines in the article.
Attribution CC BY