Legitimising activism in democracy: A place for antagonism in environmental governance

Despite the appearance of a range of opportunities for formal participation in environmental decision-making in Aotearoa New Zealand, postpolitics is very much present, annulling dissent, upholding dominant neoliberal ideals and delegitimising other voices. Through our analysis of a consent decision...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Planning theory (London, England) England), 2018-05, Vol.17 (2), p.143-169
Main Authors: Fougère, Lillian, Bond, Sophie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activism
Coal
Decision making
Democracy
Dissent
Environmental policy
Environmentalism
Governance
Hegemony
Hostility
Mouffe, Chantal
Neoliberalism
Planning
Radicalism
Values
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Summary:Despite the appearance of a range of opportunities for formal participation in environmental decision-making in Aotearoa New Zealand, postpolitics is very much present, annulling dissent, upholding dominant neoliberal ideals and delegitimising other voices. Through our analysis of a consent decision about a proposed coal mine on the West Coast of Aotearoa New Zealand and the experiences of opposing environmentalists, we offer empirical evidence that illustrates the fluid shifts between antagonism and agonism (after Mouffe) throughout this ‘democratic’ process. We argue that while aspirations for agonism should remain, it is important that planning theory pays attention to the role that power and hegemony play in what could otherwise be considered agonistic planning. Antagonism, the undesirable in Mouffe’s radical democracy, has a critical role in neoliberal contexts, rupturing postpolitics and creating spaces of dissent so that agonistic contestation can provide for robust and rigorous debate in environmental decision-making.
ISSN:1473-0952
1741-3052
DOI:10.1177/1473095216682795