Gruva eller renar? : En deliberativ analys av deltagande i beslutsprocessen vid en gruvetablering i Storumans kommun

• Main Author: Wennhager, Lena
• Format: Bachelor Thesis
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Örebro universitet, Institutionen för humaniora, utbildnings- och samhällsvetenskap 2013
• Subjects: deliberation; deltagande; gruvetablering; Wiklund; Storumans kommun; Vapstens sameby; Political Science; Statsvetenskap; sami
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-27213

This thesis examines the conditions for participation in the decision making process of a possible mine establishment in Storuman municipality in the north of Sweden. This is done through a case study where the main actors are the mining company Nickel Mountain AB, the municipality Storuman and the Sami village Vapsten. As a theoretical framework Cecilia Eriksson’s division of democratic theories is used as a starting point. Methods as described in deliberative democratic theory, such as discussion by effected community members, are seen as a method within the participatory democratic tradition, not a theory of its own. To describe what happens where in the process in Storuman a model of analysis created by Hans Wiklund is used. The model divides different parts of the political system and the public into arenas where democratic deliberation and political actions can take place; the parliamentary complex, the administrative complex and the public sphere. Criteria for this democratic deliberation and participation are then applied to the deliberation and actions; generality, autonomy, power neutrality and ideal role-taking. The method used is qualitative textual analysis. The main question of this thesis is: Does the political decision making process around the establishment of a mine give any room for participatory democracy with deliberative elements? In order to answer this main question the following three questions are also asked: 1. Within which arenas were the three actors given the possibility to communicate? 2. What forms of participation exist within the decision making process? 3. Does the participation meet Wiklund’s criteria for democratic deliberation? The thesis concludes that the political decision making process surrounding a possible mine establishment gives little room for participatory democracy with deliberative elements. There are few ways of affecting the decision making process and important interests at stake; valuable minerals, minority rights for Sami people, job opportunities and regional growth.