84
3
bioprospectors. Sometimes there may be a few crucial sources that give clear presentations of leading discourses on a topic, while other times it may be necessary
to examine a large number of sources.
We recommend basing the analysis of collected data on a coding sheet, where
the sheet first is prepared before the analysis of the sources, and thereafter further
elaborated along with the coding. As in other analyses of qualitative data, it is possible to use either a paper sheet or one of the available software programmes
designed for qualitative data analysis.
We suggest starting the elaboration of the coding sheet by drawing on academic publications from other discourse analyses to make a list of features of leading discourses that one might be expected to find. This provides a deductive
approach. For discourses on environment and development, the content in
. Table 3.1 may be useful as a start. In addition, theories are also often useful
sources for questions about what discourses may contain in terms of claims about
a topic. When going through and coding the data, one may register relevant parts
of the texts and make notes about whether or not the various aspects are in line
with, similar to, or in contrast to elements on the coding sheet.
During the coding, one should also look for unexpected aspects that may constitute important features of a particular discourse. This constitutes an inductive
approach. Such findings should be added to the coding sheet and thereby included
in the elements that one looks for also in other sources. Thus, in new rounds of
coding, the relevance of the added elements on the coding sheet is included in the
examination.
Sometimes it is quite straight forward to identify different discourses, in particular when they are polarized. Often, however, discourses are tangled together in
complex ways, where some elements are shared between different discourses.
Where to draw boundaries between discourses may in such cases not be obvious.
As in other studies, the discourse analyst should discuss which findings form part
of clear patterns, and where there are deviations from these patterns.
As discursive power is an important form of power, a discourse analysis in
political ecology would also include an analysis of the actors involved in producing and reproducing the discourse as well as the practical implications of the discourse in terms of impacts on society.
An example of such an impact is presented in 7 Chap. 6, where we show how
‘international cost-effectiveness’ is a key aspect in the leading discourse on climate
change mitigation in Norway. This has led to outsourcing of climate mitigation
measures to other European countries as well as to low-cost countries in the
Global South and legitimized lack of climate action in Norway. This discursive
element can be traced back to the lobbying by the fossil fuel industry around 1990,
and can be seen as a successful exercise of discursive power.
Chapter 3 · Discourses and Narratives on Environment and Development: The Example…
3
bioprospectors. Sometimes there may be a few crucial sources that give clear presentations of leading discourses on a topic, while other times it may be necessary
to examine a large number of sources.
We recommend basing the analysis of collected data on a coding sheet, where
the sheet first is prepared before the analysis of the sources, and thereafter further
elaborated along with the coding. As in other analyses of qualitative data, it is possible to use either a paper sheet or one of the available software programmes
designed for qualitative data analysis.
We suggest starting the elaboration of the coding sheet by drawing on academic publications from other discourse analyses to make a list of features of leading discourses that one might be expected to find. This provides a deductive
approach. For discourses on environment and development, the content in
. Table 3.1 may be useful as a start. In addition, theories are also often useful
sources for questions about what discourses may contain in terms of claims about
a topic. When going through and coding the data, one may register relevant parts
of the texts and make notes about whether or not the various aspects are in line
with, similar to, or in contrast to elements on the coding sheet.
During the coding, one should also look for unexpected aspects that may constitute important features of a particular discourse. This constitutes an inductive
approach. Such findings should be added to the coding sheet and thereby included
in the elements that one looks for also in other sources. Thus, in new rounds of
coding, the relevance of the added elements on the coding sheet is included in the
examination.
Sometimes it is quite straight forward to identify different discourses, in particular when they are polarized. Often, however, discourses are tangled together in
complex ways, where some elements are shared between different discourses.
Where to draw boundaries between discourses may in such cases not be obvious.
As in other studies, the discourse analyst should discuss which findings form part
of clear patterns, and where there are deviations from these patterns.
As discursive power is an important form of power, a discourse analysis in
political ecology would also include an analysis of the actors involved in producing and reproducing the discourse as well as the practical implications of the discourse in terms of impacts on society.
An example of such an impact is presented in 7 Chap. 6, where we show how
‘international cost-effectiveness’ is a key aspect in the leading discourse on climate
change mitigation in Norway. This has led to outsourcing of climate mitigation
measures to other European countries as well as to low-cost countries in the
Global South and legitimized lack of climate action in Norway. This discursive
element can be traced back to the lobbying by the fossil fuel industry around 1990,
and can be seen as a successful exercise of discursive power.
Chapter 3 · Discourses and Narratives on Environment and Development: The Example…