While a large literature exists on the siting of controversial facilities, few theories about spatial location have been tested on large samples. Using a new dataset from Japan, this paper demonstrates that state agencies choose localities judged weakest in local civil society as host communities for controversial projects. In some cases, powerful politicians deliberately seek to have facilities such as nuclear power plants, dams, and airports placed in their home constituency. This paper then explores new territory: how demographic, political, and civil society factors impact the outcomes of siting attempts. It finds that the strength of local civil society impacts the probability that a proposed project will come to fruition; the greater the concentration of local civil society, the less likely state-planned projects will be completed.
From a 2008 article by political scientist Daniel Aldrich. Hat tip to John Sides at Monkey Cage, who gives links to several other related papers, books, etc.
Dan Aldrich is a man who’s time has come.
2 Responses
The TNR article above from Daniael says the local residents are bearing the heaviest burden of the Fukushima disaster.
My prediction : We will see them in one year or two up in arms so that some of the reactor of Fukushima are *not* stopped opposite to what is annonced now, I think lobbying for 5 and 6 to be restarted.
They are not the heaviest burden of the Fukushima disaster. They are the heaviest burden of the tsunami. The tsunami has destroyed everything of the local industry and a major part will not be rebuild.
The local residents will be desesperate for a job, every single of them will be able to count family member and neighboard killed by the tsunami, but none killed by the nuclear engines, and the only one thing they will be able to remember is the good old time of the money that used to be brought by the nuclear industry.
Chris is on the money about the interest in this story – see
http://www.tnr.com/article/world/85463/japan-nuclear-power-regulation and http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20coastal.html?_r=1&hp for articles about the disaster and nuclear power in Japan.