Where the eagles dare? Enacting resistance to wind farms through hybrid collectives

Abstract

How are actors enrolled and arguments crafted and mobilised in the resistance to wind farms? The discussion is based on a study of two wind farm projects in Norway, on Smøla and Høg-Jæren. By identifying strategies for making arguments of resistance effective and convincing, the ways are explored in which these strategies of representation evolve as a process of searching for arguments both adapted to local concerns and to national bodies of environment management. The resistance develops as a process where actor groups construct hybrid collectives by enrolling humans and non-humans. Adjusting the hybrid collectives to fit concerns implies employing nature objects and various concepts of nature that may work in favour or against resistance.

Keywords:

• social acceptance of wind power
• science and technology studies
• hybrid collectives
• environmental politics
• politics of nature

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Knut H. Sørensen, Gard H. Hansen, Dolly Jørgensen as well as three anonymous reviewers for comments and discussion in the process of working out this article.

Notes

 1. Interview with the spokesperson of ‘the Head-wind group’, Olav Inge Edvardsen, 2 June 2004.

 2. In the local news paper ‘Tidens Krav’ 10 January 1999 and 12 May 1999.

 3. Page 72 in a report on nature values on Smøla: http://www.fylkesmannen.no/digimaker/documents/rapp-vernepl-smøla-aof-1998_qrH17A1846498.pdf (downloaded 21 May 2004).

 4. News report in ‘Tidens Krav’ 21 December 2000.

 5. Interview with Olav Inge Edvardsen, 2 June 2004.

 6. Feasibility analysis made by Rogalandsforskning, report available at http://www.rf.no/Internet/EksternInfo98.nsf/wvDocID/CF05CD528F4FFE9FC12568E A003970D7!OpenDocument&H (downloaded 11 January 2005).

 7. News report in Jærbladet, 20 June 2003.

 8. Interview with the spokesperson of ‘Protect Høg-Jæren’, Ståle Undheim, 16 August 2006.

 9. News report in Jærbladet, 21 August 2003.

10. See: http://www.naturvern.no/cgi-bin/naturvern/imaker?id=9741 (downloaded 15 January 2005).

11. The leader in Jærbladet, 3 September 2003.

12. News report in NRK Rogaland, available at http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/rogaland/ (downloaded 11 January 2005).

13. Interview with Ståle Undheim, 16 August 2006.

14. News report in Jærbladet 19 April 2004.

15. News report in Jærbladet 19 April 2004.

16. News report in Jærbladet 04 June 2004.

17. News report in Stavanger Aftenblad, 16 June 2004.

18. News report in Stavanger Aftenblad 7 July 2004.

19. News report in Jærbladet 8 September 2004.

20. News report in Jærbladet 10 September 2004.

21. News report in Stavanger Aftenblad, 10 September 2003.

22. Interview with Ståle Undheim, 16 August 2006.

23. Leader article in Jærbladet, 15 September 2004.

24. Interview with Olav Inge Edvardsen, 2 June 2004.

25. News report on NRK Rogaland (downloaded 28 September 2007).

26. Interview with biologists from Norwegian Institute of Nature Research, 15 February 2005.