Risk versus National Pride. Conflicting discourses over the construction of a High Voltage Power Station in the Athens Metropolitan Area for demands of the 2004 Olympics

John Karamichas

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    6 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This paper first explores the conflictual discourses employed by government agencies, citizens’ initiatives, and environmental organizations over the construction of a High Voltage Power Station (KYT) for demands of the 2004 Olympic Games, as presented in media reports and movement literature over a period of one year. Having in mind recent criticisms targeting the lack of empirical evidence in Ulrich Beck’s risk theorization, this exploration is of distinct importance. Secondly, it takes into account that both the defensive character of societal action and mistrust to expert authorities have been confirmed as prevalent characteristics of both the Greek and the general risk social context. The paper attempts to re-evaluate and/or complement existing perspectives of societal activism in general and environmental mobilizations in particular within the confines of the Greek social context. As a tentative conclusion, it is suggested that the risk perspective offers a novel prism for the examination of societal activism without confining it to the characteristics of individual national contexts.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)133-142
    Number of pages10
    JournalHuman Ecology Review
    Volume12 (2)
    Issue number2
    Publication statusPublished - Jan 2005

    Bibliographical note

    Citations:
    • J. Horne and G. Whannel (2012), Understanding the Olympics, Abingdon, Oxon.: Routledge.
    • G. Hayes and J. Horne (2011), ‘Sustainable Development, shock and awe? London 2012 and civil society’, Sociology, 45/5, pp. 749-764.
    • E. Apostolopoulou, (2009), The Social Conflicts During the Implementation of Conservation Policy in Protected Areas: Analysis and Appraisal of Conservation Policies in Greece, Doctoral Dissertation (Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Science, School of Biology, Department of Ecology).
    • H. Lenskyj (2008), Olympic industry resistance: Challenging Olympic power and propaganda, Albany: State University of New York.
    • KI. Kavoulakos (2008), ‘Protestation and Claiming of Public Places: A Movement in the City of Athens in the 21st century, in D. Emanouel, E. Zakopoulou, R. Kautantzoglou, T. Maloutas and A. Hadjiyanni (eds), Social and Spatial Transformations in the 21st Century Athens, Athens: EKKE.
    • C. Rootes (2007), Environmental Protest in Western Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    • S. Dodouras and P. James (2006), ‘Athens 2004 Olympiad: System Ideas to Map Multidisciplinary Views – Reporting on the Views of the Host Community’, Systemist, 28/2, pp. 70-81.

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Ecology

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