Any Risk Is Unacceptable

Date
2010-10
Authors
Arbuthnott, Katherine
Dolter, Brett
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Canadian Plains Research Center
Abstract

In the spring and summer of 2009 the Saskatchewan provincial government held a consultation process to elicit citizen views on expanding the nuclear industry (UDP 2009). Thousands of citizens participated in the consultation process, and an overwhelming majority of participants opposed the expansion of the nuclear industry (Perrins 2009). We used qualitative methods to study stakeholder submissions to the Saskatchewan consultation process. We wanted to understand why the majority of citizens opposed the expansion of the nuclear industry, and why the government, the nuclear industry, and some citizens supported nuclear expansion. Our results suggest that those who oppose nuclear power do so primarily because they possess different cultural identities and value priorities than those who support nuclear power. Our findings offer insight into the academic literature around risk perception, environmental conflict, and environmental values.

Description
Keywords
Prairie Forum, Canadian Plains Research Center
Citation
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