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Patterns of Type and Content in an Online Policy Controversy352Below, we first give a short overview of the shale gas controversy’s contextualities in each country. Second, we conceptualise the role of visuals on the internet, especially in debates like shale gas exploration, and the relevance of applying digital methods to understand them. Third, we present our methods for selecting, gathering, and analysing the data. Fourth, we present the results of the visual analysis and actor analysis. To conclude, we explore possible explanations for the shifts in the standpoints and use of visualisations over time for each country.2.2 Country background informationThe three regions we selected, all considered shale gas a considerable potential source of energy based on numbers provided by, for example the US Energy Information Association,4 about estimations of technically retrievable shale gas. In addition, academic publications indicate for each of the countries an emerging controversy. This makes them interesting cases to investigate the role of visuals on this online controversy.Mexico has one of the largest gas shale reserves of the globe: ~545 trillion ft³, (EIA, 2011). In 2014, the at the time President Enrique Peña approved the Hydrocarbons Law and several thousands of wells have been installed. In parallel, environmental organisations and political opposition groups have pointed out the potential negative consequences of this activity (El Universal, 2018). In August 2018, the newly elected President Andres Manuel López Obrador announced the intention to end shale gas production practices (Reforma, 2018). In contrast, public figures, such as the former president of Mexico Vicente Fox, continued to support hydraulic fracturing (Loredo, 2018).In SA, shale gas reserves were estimated to be ~390 trillion ft³, and contestation revolved around environmental risks, economic and energy opportunities, and the place of shale gas in a complete energy mix (Andreasson, 2018). The controversy in South Africa has unique characteristics. Particularly in the Great Karoo area, for which shale gas production was foreseen, there is a greater risk of water contamination. It is an arid area with low rainfall and scarce potable water reservoirs (De Wit, 2011; Tucker & van Tonder, 2015). Studies point out the dangers of fracturing for biodiversity and fragile flora. However, Karoo citizens live 4 https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/011915/what-are-effects-fracking-environment.aspEfrat.indd 35 19-09-2023 09:47