Abstract
In this paper I present findings and insights from an empirical study of two case study solar farm developments from rural areas of the South West, UK. Drawing on a Habermasian theoretical frame, I examine local resident narratives that emerged through the local public sphere and how these formed discursive meanings that provided shared background social norms for residents towards the solar farm developments. The paper begins by operationalising Habermas's theoretical ideas for empirical research and situating the research within existing literature. The theoretical and methodological sections are followed by the examination of three local narratives that emerged: idealised rural land use, farming and income generation, and money making and the pursuit of profit. Such narratives are considered in view of public opportunities for robust dialogue and debate to judge the normative democratic character of the solar farm developments. The paper concludes that the community development offered significantly more discursive space for debate than the commercial development and increased the developments' overall democratic legitimacy. It is maintained that such a Habermasian theoretical frame adapted for empirical analysis is valuable for normatively assessing democratic processes which are needed in view of conceptually weak accounts of ‘energy democracy’.
Highlights
In the opening presentation of the Rural Energy Transitions session at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) Annual International Conference 2018, Naumann and Rudolph made their proposal for a three-way conceptualisation of rural energy transitions based on location, contes tation and emancipation
Their efforts to begin a conceptual dialogue to address the under-theorised space of rural energy transitions is welcomed and this paper looks to contribute to the shared aim of more theoretically informed research
The three example narratives of local voice that emerged from the empirical research suggest that land, land use and the deep-rooted link between agriculture and rural life established foundational social norms and public opinions in both case studies that had significant bearing on the development process
Summary
In the opening presentation of the Rural Energy Transitions session at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) Annual International Conference 2018, Naumann and Rudolph made their proposal for a three-way conceptualisation of rural energy transitions based on location, contes tation and emancipation. Naunmann and Rudolph’s conceptual frame could offer new insights on the low carbon transition in rural settings beyond those generated from existing conceptual frameworks (for example: Devine-Wright, 2005, Smith et al, 2005, Meadowcroft, 2009 Haggett, 2010, Devine-Wright, 2011a, Gailing, 2016, Geels et al, 2016, Jenkins et al, 2016) Their efforts to begin a conceptual dialogue to address the under-theorised space of rural energy transitions is welcomed and this paper looks to contribute to the shared aim of more theoretically informed research. This translation is not straightforward as significant theoretical baggage is associated with this approach
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