A Habermasian analysis of local renewable energy deliberations

This study pursues a Habermasian analysis of citizen discussions and of the local public sphere to shed light on renewable energy futures in rural east-central Canada. Using data from group discussions, it pursues an investigation of utterances, validity claims and of discourses. The analysis is supplemented by participant observation of publicly acting organizations, and together these form the evidence to arrive at some predictions for energy developments. This case study finds governance officials tended to negotiate solar, wind, biomass and small hydro projects with fact-claims, but citizens operated mainly with norm-claims and this along with other factors creates a distortion in communication and in social coordination with implications for the future of various energy types. More generally it also suggests the state's strong reliance on market incentives may have long term costs in terms of diminished public reasoning over renewable energy. Working through Habermas' concepts in this way also pointed towards potential contributions to the theories of communicative action and the public sphere.