When looking at a person’s identity in related to a place, wind power scholars have shown the rural idyll to be important, but have failed to acknowledge the acceptance of turbines, instead focusing on opposition to them (Bohn and Lant, 2009; Phake, 2011; Pasqualetti; 2011). Also, research on the rural idyll has failed to explore the pre-construction/pre-decision stage of wind infrastructure in relation to social reasons behind its acceptance or dismissal (Pedersen et al. 2007; Bohn and Lant, 2009; Phake, 2011; Pasqualetti; 2011). My research has been completed in an area still in the preconstruction and decision stages as well as focusing on both sides of the opinions to bridge this gap in knowledge.
Uncovering opinions and power
Through interviews …show more content…
“I don’t think [of] rural as being wide open spaces necessarily, it’s a mix. I sent a picture out front here, I look at a cell tower and I look at the county acquisition of that museum and so I think rural, it’s a combination of things and I just because its rural doesn’t mean it has anything modern or any technology not in it,” Margret, a landowner said.
Margret is speaking to a realization that rural space is not an absence of modern elements within it that it is more of a mix. Other interviewed participants who were in favor of the wind project spoke to similar ideas. A public official interviewed, named John, used an analogy of a house that has many different rooms with different characteristics and items in them from different areas to explain his view on rural. He goes on to say,
“Within that home, it has different characteristics. For a total county to only have only rural aspects I would say its’ unfair because our population is 30,000 people. Not everybody’s lived in Somerset County for 40 years.”
Margaret and John’s views of rural speak to an evolving idea of rural rather than a stagnant vision of the rural
Uncovering opinions and power
Through interviews …show more content…
“I don’t think [of] rural as being wide open spaces necessarily, it’s a mix. I sent a picture out front here, I look at a cell tower and I look at the county acquisition of that museum and so I think rural, it’s a combination of things and I just because its rural doesn’t mean it has anything modern or any technology not in it,” Margret, a landowner said.
Margret is speaking to a realization that rural space is not an absence of modern elements within it that it is more of a mix. Other interviewed participants who were in favor of the wind project spoke to similar ideas. A public official interviewed, named John, used an analogy of a house that has many different rooms with different characteristics and items in them from different areas to explain his view on rural. He goes on to say,
“Within that home, it has different characteristics. For a total county to only have only rural aspects I would say its’ unfair because our population is 30,000 people. Not everybody’s lived in Somerset County for 40 years.”
Margaret and John’s views of rural speak to an evolving idea of rural rather than a stagnant vision of the rural