Farming Landscapes, Energy Landscapes or Both?

doi:10.1017/9781108769471.013

10 - Farming Landscapes, Energy Landscapes or Both?

Using Social Representations Theory to Understand the Impact of Energy Transitions on Rural Senses of Place

from Part III - Renewable Energy Transitions

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 July 2021

Richard C. Stedman and

Roberta S. Nilson

Edited by

Christopher M. Raymond ,

Andrés Di Masso and

Christopher M. Raymond: Affiliation:
University of Helsinki, Finland
Lynne C. Manzo: Affiliation:
University of Washington, Seattle
Daniel R. Williams: Affiliation:
USDA Forest Service, Colorado
Andrés Di Masso: Affiliation:
Universitat de Barcelona
Timo von Wirth: Affiliation:
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam

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Summary

Social-ecological transitions are fundamentally about places – especially how place meanings and attachments act as lenses for interpreting change. Our chapter focuses on energy transitions in rural agricultural landscapes in New York. Agricultural place meanings underpin attachment for many residents, but are challenged by proposals for large-scale renewable energy development. This chapter explores how people interpret these proposed facilities using the perspective of social representations of place. multiple interpretations of proposed facilities are promoted by different groups based on their position towards the development: developers and energy advocates strategically portray solar installations as ‘farms’, replete with images they believe support agricultural meanings; those who resist these developments emphasise the large-scale industrialisation of the landscape and the loss of services such as open space and amenity value. These narratives of place contribute to understanding perspectives on energy transitions and broader rural change.

Keywords

Sense of place energy transitions social representations solar energy agriculture landscape meanings

Type: Chapter
Information: Changing Senses of Place
Navigating Global Challenges
, pp. 131 - 143

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108769471.013 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

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10 - Farming Landscapes, Energy Landscapes or Both?

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