Framing gender equality and norm shifting: a case study of the Pillars Campaign (Nha Nhieu Cot) on Vietnamese social media

On Feb 13, 2025, the Feminist Media Studies published a research paper entitled "Framing gender equality and norm shifting: a case study of the Pillars Campaign (Nha Nhieu Cot) on Vietnamese social media", conducted by Ph.D. Vu Tuan Anh, M.A. Tran Minh Ngoc together with student Le Nguyet Minh from the Falcuty of International Communication and Culture, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

This study investigates the framing strategies employed by the Pillars Campaign (Nha Nhieu Cot—NCC), a prominent gender equality advocacy initiative in Vietnam, through a content analysis of 285 Facebook posts. Drawing on Snow and Benford’s framing theories, the research analyzes three core framing tasks (diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational) and four types of frame alignment processes (bridging, amplification, extension, transformation) evident in NCC’s Facebook communication. The analysis reveals a prevalent use of diagnostic and motivational framing, as well as frame amplification. Within diagnostic framing, NCC employs two primary frames: (1) Gender norms as constraints and (2) Gender norms as catalysts for social issues. In prognostic framing, NCC presents solutions for gender equality and norm shifting as remedies for broader societal challenges. In motivational framing, NCC utilizes two main frames: (1) Feminism as equality advocacy and (2) Gender equality as a collective journey toward societal progress. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical insights into gender communication within Vietnam’s sociocultural context and enriches the discourse on framing theory in advocacy initiatives. The findings underscore NCC’s effectiveness in mobilizing support and promoting societal change through strategic framing and alignment processes.

Check out the research paper here.