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The Political Ecology of Pee and Poo

Lowzow, Edel Bergitte LU (2017) HEKM51 20171
Human Ecology
Abstract
This thesis investigates how the metabolic rift and peak phosphorus are represented in Norwegian media and policy documents. The investigation is done with the use of critical discourse analysis. The material investigated consists of 28 texts from Norwegian newspapers and two documents from the Norwegian Environment Agency.

The theoretical framework is based on the theory of hegemony, infrastructure lock-in and path dependency theory. The analysis shows that technology and neoliberal economics have a hegemonic role in the domain of peak phosphorus and the metabolic rift. There are discursive struggles between the hegemonic discourses and other more critical sub-discourses.

I argue that the hegemonic discourses substantiate the... (More)
This thesis investigates how the metabolic rift and peak phosphorus are represented in Norwegian media and policy documents. The investigation is done with the use of critical discourse analysis. The material investigated consists of 28 texts from Norwegian newspapers and two documents from the Norwegian Environment Agency.

The theoretical framework is based on the theory of hegemony, infrastructure lock-in and path dependency theory. The analysis shows that technology and neoliberal economics have a hegemonic role in the domain of peak phosphorus and the metabolic rift. There are discursive struggles between the hegemonic discourses and other more critical sub-discourses.

I argue that the hegemonic discourses substantiate the lock-in of the water-based sewage system. The current system is technology installed to solve a problem partly created by technology, while forging new problems. In the material, there is no discussion of the water-based sewage system as part of the problem, which underlines the argument that this is a lock-in. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lowzow, Edel Bergitte LU
supervisor
organization
course
HEKM51 20171
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Metabolic rift, peak phosphorus, human excreta, sustainable sanitation, critical discourse analysis, Norway
language
English
id
8908966
date added to LUP
2018-06-12 08:49:39
date last changed
2018-06-12 08:49:39
@misc{8908966,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates how the metabolic rift and peak phosphorus are represented in Norwegian media and policy documents. The investigation is done with the use of critical discourse analysis. The material investigated consists of 28 texts from Norwegian newspapers and two documents from the Norwegian Environment Agency. 

The theoretical framework is based on the theory of hegemony, infrastructure lock-in and path dependency theory. The analysis shows that technology and neoliberal economics have a hegemonic role in the domain of peak phosphorus and the metabolic rift. There are discursive struggles between the hegemonic discourses and other more critical sub-discourses. 

I argue that the hegemonic discourses substantiate the lock-in of the water-based sewage system. The current system is technology installed to solve a problem partly created by technology, while forging new problems. In the material, there is no discussion of the water-based sewage system as part of the problem, which underlines the argument that this is a lock-in.}},
  author       = {{Lowzow, Edel Bergitte}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Political Ecology of Pee and Poo}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}