Schedule 9th International Degrowth Conference

Energy transitions are contested arenas. Different actors may hold different views about the pace, the scope and the type of social or technological innovations to be deployed in them. Hydrogen has emerged strongly as the so-called centre piece of the European energy transition strategy. Actors involved in the energy transition hold specific views, values and interests regarding Hydrogen’s type, deployment scale, and purposes while actively trying to influence the policy process accordingly. It is commonly believed that new technologies, such as Hydrogen, rely on the innovation process for the development, implementation and scaling up processes. However, power dynamics between actors’ coalitions and struggles over legitimacy play an equally crucial role. Discourse – a key tool of power - is central for the social construction of reality and, therefore, Hydrogen’s proclaimed legitimacy. This paper uses Discourse Network Analysis to unveil the emergence of discourse coalitions around Hydrogen at the European level, the storylines mobilized by those coalitions and how they have evolved through time. The results unveil the variety of discursive strategies those coalitions have mobilized to legitimize (or delegitimize) the use of Hydrogen and how they have evolved through time influenced by “shock, crisis-type events” such as Covid-19 and the Russian-Ukraine conflict. This research highlights: (1) the importance of powerful actors’ discursive coalitions – both in actors’ base composition and storylines consistency - in shaping public policy and; (2) the instrumentalization of ‘Shock Doctrine’ type of events as entry points for discursive power struggles.

Info

Day: 2023-08-30
Start time: 12:00
Duration: 00:15
Room: ZV-8-9
Type: Paper Presentation
Theme: Technology and science for degrowth

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