Discourse analysis of environmental policy revisited: traditions, trends, perspectives

Figures & data

Table 1. Major schools of discourse analytical approaches applied among the contributions.

Schools or approaches	Contributions in this issue applying the approach
Foucault-inspired discourse analysis and governmentality approaches	Bezerra, et al. Bäckstrand & Lövbrand Behagel, Arts, & Turnhouts (plus practice theory)
Argumentative and deliberative discourse approaches	Stevenson Frick-Trzebitzky & Bruns
Post-Marxist and linguistic approaches that focus on the critique of ideology or hegemony	Carvalho, Pinto-Coelho, & Seixas Griggs & Howarth Mert
Sociology of knowledge approaches	Espinosa
Narrative approaches	Ingram, Ingram & Lejano Mcnaghten, Davies, & Kearnes McCalman & Connelly

Table 2. Research areas and exemplary discourses prominent in the literature.

Prominent Research Areas	Agricultural policy Climate governance Forest policy Nature conservation policy Renewable energy policy
‘Old’ Discourses (researched since many years)	Biodiversity Ecological modernization Environmental neoliberalism Nature conservation Participation Sustainable development
‘New’ Discourses (researched since 2010s)	Bioeconomy Transition/transformation

Table 3. Nature and types of discursive effects and their source in the contributions to this special issue.

Contribution	Direction of discursive effects (persistence vs. change)	Types of discursive effects	Source of discursive effects
Griggs & Howarth	Discursive continuity and closure with incremental change	Knowledge effects: e.g. privileging certain understandings of objects, connections etc. Effects on discourse formations (rules, patterns)	Discursive logic of hegemony
Macnagthen, Davies & Kearnes	Discursive persistence with incremental change Marginalization of alternative narratives leading to dissatisfaction with policy outcomes	Enabling social mobilization: dominant discourse producing counter-narratives, leading to rejection of public management Enabling certain governance outcomes and constraining others: institutional and procedural arrangements unsuited to meet public demands/fears	Individuals’ interpretation of situations on the basis of established narrative patterns (within social groups)
Bäckstrand & Lövbrand	Discursive persistence with incremental change Discursive assimilation of new ideas into established discourses	Knowledge effects: e.g. privileging certain understandings of objects, connections etc. Agency and legitimacy for certain groups Enabling certain governance outcomes and constraining others: persistence of global managerialism	Co-constitution of discourses, knowledge and institutions; consciousness dispersed within policy or expert communities
Stevenson	Persistence of discursive ambivalence with incremental change	Knowledge effects: e.g. privileging certain understandings of objects, connections etc.	Co-constitution of discourses, knowledge and institutions; consciousness dispersed within policy or expert communities
Bezerra et al.	Discursive capture of alternative discourses by ‘old’ ecological modernization discourse	Knowledge effects: establishment of new, hegemonic definition Exclusion of groups from (monetary) resources Constrained social mobilization, affecting patterns of social connections, networks and social identities	Co-constitution of discourses, knowledge and institutions; consciousness dispersed within policy or expert communities
Behagel, Arts & Turnhout	Contextual assimilation of standardizing and participatory discourses Uneven policy outcomes	Knowledge effects: e.g. privileging certain understandings of objects, connections etc. Enabling social mobilization: enabling groups to challenge governance arrangements Agency and legitimacy for certain groups Effects on policy outcomes and implementation: translation of new concepts/narratives into institutions and/or (implementation) practices, enabling or constraining conflict among groups	Dispersed across complex fields of practice that co-constitute social order and practice
Carvalho, Pinto-Coelho & Seixas	Closure of policy process, i.e. intentional limitation of potential demands for change	Knowledge effects: e.g. privileging certain understandings of objects, connections etc. Agency and legitimacy for certain groups Constrained social mobilization: institutional and procedural arrangements affecting discourse formation (rules, patterns), patterns of social connections, networks and social identities Effects on policy outcomes and implementation: insulating public policy against legitimate public demands and concerns	Public administrations and their strategic management of discursive formats and practices to limit public demands for change
Frick-Trzebitzky & Bruns	Dissatisfactory policy outcomes, i.e. policy ‘failure’	Knowledge effects: e.g. privileging certain understandings of objects, connections etc. Enabling certain governance aspects and constraining others: addressing wrong/biased objects of governance Effects on policy outcomes and implementation: hindering local adaptation, causing resignation Knowledge effects: exclusion of strategies that may be beneficial to more people	Public administrations, policy elites and a mismatch of their discourse with practitioners’ experiences
McCalman & Connelly	Potentially ‘radical’ discursive change	Knowledge effects: introducing new, ‘problematic’ ideas in environmental discourse and provoking responses Constrained social mobilization: new concepts and ideas potentially weakening established environmental narratives and agency of the ‘traditional’ environmental movement	The individual consciousness of a ‘movement intellectual’ and his/her ability to shape public discourse
Ingram, Ingram & Lejano	Potentially ‘radical’ bottom-up social change	Knowledge effects: re-focusing attention away from objects associated with dominant discourse Enabling social mobilization: creating patterns of social connections and networks as well as new social identities	Plurivocal consciousness of social networks constituted through narrative construction and interpretation of reality
Mert	Potentially ‘radical’ bottom-up social change	Knowledge effects: introducing new language and problems into established political parties Enabling social mobilization: sparking new movements, new political engagement	Presence of hegemonic and counter-hegemonic forces; conscious habitualization and institutionalization of counter-discourse; political mobilization and subversive change of political language through social movements
Espinosa	Institutional change	Knowledge effects: existence of new counter-discourse Enabling social mobilization: new concepts and ideas enabling global alliances Effects on policy outcomes and implementation: adoption of new concepts and ideas in constitution	Social movement entrepreneurs and established groups exploiting discursive affinities in problem construction for mobilization and institutionalization