The Overton window concept describes (and helps) agents of change
The leap to progress begins by radicalizing a small group of people. Good urbanism can move from margins to mainstream.
Community outreach can be incredibly rewarding and frustrating, sometimes during the same meeting. Different projects call for different engagement methods, but you’re always trying to persuade (even if you don’t like that word).
Political scientist Joseph P. Overton developed a concept in the 1990s that’s had a major influence on my views on and approach to community engagement. “The Overton window” refers to the range of ideas that are acceptable or mainstream in public discourse at a given time.
The Overton window is shaped by public opinion, media coverage, influence of special interest groups, and actions of political leaders. Ideas that fall within the Overton window are more likely to be discussed and debated in the public sphere, while those that fall outside of it may be considered too extreme or fringe to be given serious consideration. The window shifts over time as public opinion changes, making new ideas acceptable and mainstreaming previously unacceptable ideas.
Here are some minor and major examples of ideas that were considered nonsense, but became normal as the Overton window shifted:
The earth isn’t flat, nor is it the center of the universe.
All nationalities will be taught in the same classrooms.
A computer will one day fit on your desk.
Tiny germs exist that you can’t see with your eyes.
White collar jobs will be performed remotely, without an office.
Human organs and limbs will be replaced.
Art will be created by voice command.
Children will be given personal automobiles as a right of passage.
There are cultural examples of philosophical shifts happening right now. The topic of a national divorce, for example, was unthinkable just 10 years ago. Now you can find major corporate news outlets hosting discussions and debates about it.
Whether or not they’re familiar with the Overton window concept, political strategists and activists work hard to make their ideas and policies acceptable to the general public. They’ll begin with a position that is so far outside normal discourse that it seems absurd. But with persuasion and storytelling tactics, the window shifts.
Public officials cannot enact any policy they please like they’re ordering dessert from a menu. They have to choose from among policies that are politically acceptable at the time. And we believe the Overton window defines that range of ideas.
—Joseph Lehman, colleague of Joseph Overton
“Abolish the police” is a recent illustration of this approach. The conversation purposefully began with something outrageous—no more cops. Even by compromising away from the original bumper sticker slogan, public discourse about dramatic reform was normalized. “Ban cars” might become another example. Time will tell.
This is much more than just an academic exercise for political junkies.
If you’re reading Urbanism Speakeasy, you have strong feelings about the built environment. You may or may not share my vision of protected bike paths proliferating across the country, but that’s beside the point. You care about how things are planned and designed, and you want to see improvements.
What I’ve learned from the Overton window concept is that people need radical departures from normal scenario planning exercises. If you want to normalize walk-friendly, bike-friendly infrastructure, then start with wildly different scenarios. When you eventually compromise, you’ve still made progress.
To be clear, I am not criticizing “normal” discussions like visualizing a 5-lane street put on a road diet. That’s practical and important.
I want you to think of ways to shift the Overton window to popularize previously extreme positions. The leap to progress begins by radicalizing a small group of people.