Toni Eerola (2009) reports that the Finnish movement against uranium exploration has generated a number of articles and web-sites. The new aspect are academic thesis on the subject. One of these is related with the framing (propaganda) used by the anti-uranium movement of Uusimaa in Finland. Other two deals with the possible impact on municipality image and tourism caused by a hypothetical uranium mine project at Kouvervaara, Kuusamo. An article dealing with the national movement opposing uranium exploration and mines was also recently published in a book on nimby (not in my backyard) conflicts. All investigations are from the field of social sciences. The general characteristics of those works are briefly presented and discussed. The main aspects of those studies are the subjectivity and lack of criticism.
They follow blindly the views disseminated by the movement against uranium exploration, that distorts geoscientific facts and terminology. Those arguments are not questioned and their geoscientific bases are not tested. However, far going conclusions are made on very weak basis, and the position on the subject has been taken before any data has been collected. Great emotions and ideology are involved and transparent. For natural sciences this kind of approach sounds weird. But in some sectors of humanistic field it seems to be acceptable or even desirable. It is concluded that the purpose of such works is propagandistic. Their authors are related with the movement.
They attempt to give academic legitimacy for the activist views, using a scientific mask. For this reason, the author calls those thesis as activist-research or research activism. They wish to base the mining act reform on those arguments. As one of the studies shows how this propaganda is used, decision makers and media should be aware of it. The mining sector and the geological community way to respond to this phenomena is through a strong information campaign based on facts and geosciences.
Note: You can easily translate the Finish.
Original working URL: https://www.academia.edu/19633372/Onko_propaganda_tiedett%C3%A4_Uraaninetsint%C3%A4%C3%A4_vastustavien_aktivistitutkimusten_tarkastelua
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