Frame Disputes in a Natural Resource Controversy: The Case of the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer in South-Central Oklahoma

Abstract

This article examines citizen responses to the proposed sale of water from the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer in Oklahoma. Landowners claimed individual property rights as the primary justification for the sale of the water, while a citizens group opposing the sale of water based its arguments on the future viability of the resource and the cultural significance of the aquifer for the region. Based on fieldwork and in-depth interviews with key informants, we examine how the two groups framed the environmental dispute. The results of the study indicate that the citizens group opposing the sale of water was more effective at articulating their grievances to the broader public. We argue that the framing strategies used by the two groups served to escalate community dissension and therefore limit opportunities for resolution.

Keywords:

• community
• framing
• natural resource conflict
• qualitative methods
• rural