On 30 April 2025 VISION Research Assistant Khrystyna Kai has defended her MA thesis entitled: “Framing Strategies of Anti-Tesla Movements in Grünheide, Germany: A Comparative Case Study” based on her fieldwork in Brandenburg as part of the VISION Project. Here is the abstract of her thesis:
While social movement research is extensive, framing strategies remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap through a qualitative, multimodal analysis of printed materials, press releases, and field data collected in May 2024 in Grünheide, Germany. It examines the framing strategies of three anti-Tesla groups—”Bürgerinitiative Grünheide”, “Tesla Stoppen”, and “Tesla den Hahn abdrehen”—that oppose the Gigafactory’s construction and expansion. Using framing theory and participatory democracy as frameworks, the study uncovers how these groups employ core framing tasks (diagnostic, prognostic, motivational) and strategies such as frame amplification, extension, and diffusion. Their framing centers on water scarcity, anti-capitalism, and exclusion from public participation. The findings show varying interpretations of participation: “Bürgerinitiative Grünheide” favors institutional mechanisms like hearings and referendums, while “Tesla Stoppen” and “Tesla den Hahn abdrehen” promote direct democratic engagement through activism. The study concludes that while similar in framing strategies, the groups diverge in how they conceptualize meaningful participation.
Congratulations from the entire VISION Team!