Framing Dynamics and Political Gridlock: The Curious Case of Hydraulic Fracturing in New York

‘Fracking’ was on New York's agenda since 2008, yet no decision was made about it until late 2014. The gridlock is an intriguing puzzle given that the Marcellus shale is considered a ‘world class’ energy supply, and development has been aggressive in other US states. While policy scholars typically conceptualize gridlock as policy stability, this paper examines it as a dynamic process by which competing discourse coalitions engage in interactive framing processes that (re)structure the discussion. This suggests that the interaction between contending coalitions influences gridlock. Yet, we lack knowledge about interactive framing between competing coalitions during policy controversies. Our main finding is that a central mechanism of gridlock is the production of conflict through interactive framing dynamics that deny a shared discursive space capable of ushering in a consensus, or reasoned agreement. In New York, this contest evolved from a policy consensus about the economic benefits of fracking to policy negotiation that incorporated environmental threats, and to prolonged policy controversy in which competing discourse coalitions contested notions of fracking in relation to energy production, environmental protection, public health, economic development, and governance. While a ban has been instituted, the failure to bridge discourse coalitions suggests that controversy will persist unless meaning disputes are resolved.     

财务管理案例教学初探

案例教学作为一种新的教学方法,在激发学生创造性思维,提高分析、决策能力方面具有不可替代的优点。而在财务管理案例教学中真正要发挥其效果,必须精心组织,并注意师生关系等问题的协调。     

基于生态博物馆理念的红色旅游发展模式——以重庆市城口县为例

如何突破资源瓶颈,推动发展模式转型,提升发展效益,是当前老少边穷地区红色旅游发展亟待解决的问题。以重庆市城口县为例,在回顾生态博物馆理念的演进过程和核心论题的基础上,提出了红色生态博物馆模式,并从空间发展形态、价值传播方式、项目开发方式和经济效益来源等四方面对其内涵进行了阐述。     

精密离心机机箱设计研究

本机箱是精密离心机的重要组件,它可为离心机旋转平台提供良好的气流环境,为电容测微仪提供稳定支承,对保证离心机稳定可靠的运行有重要意义。针对10-6级精密离心机的使用要求,通过功能分析,确定了光滑环形整流罩形式的机箱结构。在此基础上,完成了机箱的结构设计和工艺分析,并进行了力学计算和试验测试。分析和试验结果表明,所设计的机箱可改善离心机风阻力矩和风阻波动,可有效降低风阻对离心机精度的影响。     

Biofuels – tools for achieving environmental goals or green place branding? Present drivers and future visions in two Swedish municipalities

This paper presents a study of two Swedish municipalities’ engagement in biogas development. To analyse the drivers of such biogas development, the conceptual framing incorporates two perspectives on local biogas policy: first, policy drivers as connected to environmental goals and, second, policy as a matter of green place branding. The results indicate that biogas engagement serves as a self-governing activity with the fulfilment of environmental goals as a driver; furthermore, it is a way of expressing the mission of municipalities as “engines” of environmental policy. In one studied municipality, biogas engagement has an important symbolic value for green identity, meaning that green place branding is a driver. Still, interviewed actors from both municipalities lack clear long-term visions of biogas. Further studies of biofuel production should critically investigate visions of the future among central and local governments and evaluate the implications of municipalities as biofuel producers.     

A narrative perspective on institutional work in environmental governance – insights from a beach nourishment case study in Sweden

Institutional work offers a promising lens for understanding institutional change, focusing on the efforts of actors in creating, maintaining or disrupting institutions. In this paper, we explore the capacity of a narrative approach to provide insights on institutional work, using a case study from the coast of Sweden. We identify four narratives that compete in the policy discourse regarding erosion and beach nourishment in the coastal province of Scania. The narratives reveal that actors hold different beliefs concerning the magnitude of the erosion problem, the division of responsibilities and the suitability of sand nourishment as a coastal protection measure. The narrative competition is considered reflective of past institutional discussions and ongoing institutional work in coastal management in Scania, confirming that narratives are used as sense-making and meaning-giving devices in institutional discussions.