Framing Human Rights Due Diligence: Dutch Media and the Debate on Regulation
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2025-07-11
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en
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This thesis examines how Dutch media framed the public debate on human rights due diligence (HRDD) between 2011 and 2025, focusing on the shift from voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to mandatory regulation (mHRDD). While legal and political developments accelerated in recent years, public discourse remains important in shaping perceptions of corporate accountability. To analyse this discourse, the study applies framing theory and draws on Snow and Benford’s (1988) typology of diagnostic, prognostic and motivational framing. A qualitative framing analysis of Dutch newspaper articles across three time periods shows how frames evolved in response to events, political shifts and societal attention. Findings reveal a shift from moral appeals without enforcement to growing disappointment and legal demands, followed by more contested and polarised framings as mHRDD gained attention. The analysis shows that media framing not only reflects but also shapes public and political debates on CSR and human rights. By examining how Dutch media framed the shifting HRDD debate, the study deepens the understanding of the media’s role in enabling or constraining legislative outcomes, particularly in cases of stalled implementation
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen