Performing Innocence: Presentational Blame Avoidance in the Media Arena

The Role of Narrative Framing, Symbolic Language, and Public Performance in Deflecting Political Responsibility

Introduction

In an era saturated with media spectacles and real-time public scrutiny, political actors face relentless pressure to maintain credibility, legitimacy, and control over public narratives. Nowhere is this pressure more evident than in how they manage blame. Among the various categories of Blame Avoidance Strategies, presentational strategies occupy a central role. These involve rhetorical, symbolic, and narrative tools designed not to change policy outcomes or institutional responsibility, but to shape perception. This article analyzes how political figures perform innocence through public communication—especially via framing, symbolic gestures, and media manipulation—to preempt, redirect, or neutralize blame.