Unstable bridges—exploring the possibilities for “in between” spaces amidst divergent narratives in environmental governance

Abstract

Social-ecological systems increasingly face polarization dynamics that challenge environmental governance. Such polarization implies the development of opposing narratives with limited interaction, each framing environmental problems and solutions in distinct ways. In this study, we analyze a case of narrative polarization around the eutrophication crises of the Mar Menor lagoon in Spain, focusing on how proposed solutions are narrated to address this complex environmental puzzle. We use a mixed-method approach that combines social network analysis and an analysis of narrative practices in interview situations, to investigate whether and how potential solutions to eutrophication in the Mar Menor can be understood as bridging spaces that create opportunities for interaction between divergent societal narratives. Our three-step analysis includes: (a) a network analysis of reports proposing solutions to identify solutions with a bridging role (i.e., those linking reports that otherwise have little overlap in the solutions proposed); (b) a thematic narrative analysis to investigate the solutions proposed by diverse actors; and (c) an analysis of narrative practices around selected bridging solutions to explore if they constitute new spaces where narratives can interact and confront positions - what we call bridging spaces. We suggest this mixed methods approach allows for the identification of potential bridging spaces to mediate polarization and outline directions for future research on both the case study specifically, and on polarization in environmental governance more generally.

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