While sense-making is a frequently used concept in everyday discourse and in several social science research areas, discussions about how the concept translates into methodology are currently scarce. This paper introduces a framework for analyzing how actors in different cultural contexts make sense of global concepts. By this we refer to expressions that are used and expected to find a common ground worldwide, yet are equivocal in their multiple meanings and connotations. The paper discusses methodological considerations of such a sense-making analysis. The paper cites examples from a mixed-methods, cross-country, sense-making analysis of societal transformations toward sustainability—a concept promoted by the United Nations 2030 Agenda. We identify three steps in a comprehensive sense-making analysis: 1) mapping relevant societal arenas for sense-making; 2) vertical analyses; and 3) horizontal analyses. We outline how different datasets can be approached vertically, focusing on the use of framing, metaphors, categorizations, and stories. This forms the basis for the horizontal analysis of societal narratives and recurrent themes across the different data sources. By presenting comprehensive vertical and horizontal analyses, researchers and state and non-state actors can gain insight into the broader varieties of sense-making that can enrich scientific analysis, enhance transparency and effectiveness in international relations, and support transnational governance and civil society collaborations.

尽管在日常讨论中以及在一些社会科学研究领域中，常将意义创造作为一个经常使用的概念，但有关该概念如何转化为方法论的讨论目前很少。本文介绍了一个框架，用于分析不同文化背景下的演员如何理解全球概念。通过这种方式，我们指的是已被使用并有望在全球范围内找到共同点的表述，但在其多种含义和内涵上是模棱两可的。本文讨论了这种意义分析的方法学考虑。本文引用了混合方法，跨国，社会转变的理性分析中的示例迈向可持续性-联合国《 2030年议程》提倡的概念。在全面的感官分析中，我们确定了三个步骤：1）为感官绘制相关的社会舞台；2）垂直分析；3）水平分析。我们概述了如何垂直处理不同的数据集，重点是框架，隐喻，分类和故事的使用。这构成了对社会叙事进行横向分析的基础以及跨不同数据源的经常性主题。通过提供全面的纵向和横向分析，研究人员以及国家和非国家行为者可以洞悉更广泛的意义制定领域，从而丰富科学分析，提高国际关系的透明度和有效性，并支持跨国治理和民间社会合作。