'It Is a Tradition in the Nuclear Industry . . . Secrecy': Political Opportunity Structures and Nuclear Knowledge Production in France. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schweitzer, Julie; Mix, Tamara L
• Is Part Of: Sociological research online. Volume 27:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 504
• Page End: 524
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: France -- knowledge production -- nuclear energy -- political opportunity structure; Sociology -- Periodicals; Sociology -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Sociology -- Research -- Periodicals; 301
• DOI: 10.1177/13607804211025052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-7804

Abstract

Employing the example of France's civil nuclear program, we connect political opportunity structures (POSs) to mechanisms of knowledge production, identifying how opposing stakeholders generate knowledge about a controversial technology. A history of nuclear dependence in France creates a context that praises, normalizes, and rationalizes nuclear energy while stigmatizing attempts to question or contest the nuclear industry's dominant position. Integrating Bond's knowledge-shaping process with Coy and colleagues' concept of oppositional knowledge, we consider how the broader social, political, and economic context influences opposing stakeholder assessments of nuclear energy. Employing qualitative semi-structured interviews, we offer unique insight into the French nuclear debate, discussing the role of POS in shaping knowledge production.