Environmental and Technology Conflicts
Abstract of the introduction by Peter Feindt:
A conflict theoretical perspective on environmental and technology policy has been acknowledged as highly productive for political research. Taking recourse to conflict as a fundamental political and political science category, it thematises the tension between the conflict and the policy dimension of politics and thereby also proves relevant for political practice. The state of the art in German political science research on environmental and technology conflicts is summarised in seven points: 1.) The distinction between conflicts of interest and value conflicts and also the category of knowledge conflicts are widely indispensable for understanding environmental and technology conflicts. 2.) Spatial and often long-term temporal contexts (duration, dynamics) are frequently key to understanding and resolving environmental and technology conflicts. 3.) With regard to the objects of conflict a constructivist perspective is advisable because environmental and technology conflicts often assume various shapes over time through processes of interpretation by conflicting parties. 4.) Origin, development, effects and transformation of conflicts are shaped by both the institutional framework and actor constellations; here often close interconnections exist between the micro, meso and macro level. 5.) Procedurally a broad spectrum exists of how conflicts were addressed, reaching from one-sided pushing through of interests to jurisdictional battles, the use if cooperative procedures and incremental and adaptive macro regulation. 6.) While there are numerous examples of reflexive conflict resolution, mediation and collaborative procedures are regularly confined to a consultative role. 7.) Comparison with other environmental and technology conflicts, in particular the conflict over nuclear energy, is constitutive of many such conflicts, e.g. those about genetic engineering and nanotechnology.
Environmental and Technology Conflicts, VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften: Wiesbaden, 374 pages, (2010), ISBN 978-3-531-17497-6
Editors: Peter H. Feindt and Thomas Saretzki
Additional Information
In German