Nuclear energy discourses in Lithuania and Belarus
ENAfter years of stagnation, nuclear energy is believed to experience a revival. Despite a global momentum, little cross-cultural analysis exists about the national drivers for nuclear power such as geopolitics. Discourse studies are emerging as a way to examine approaches on energy security options in different countries. This work documents discourses based on media texts produced in two neighbouring pro-nuclear Eastern European countries Lithuania and Belarus in contrast with the global policy discourse with particular focus on nuclear energy. Discourse analysis conducted in this study relied on Hajer’s analytical concepts – discursive storylines and coalitions. National discourses were studied from 157 media texts published in 2006-2009. National pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear discourse coalitions have been described and compared with those found in the global discourse. The results show that climate change is emphasized internationally, while geopolitics is more important on a national level. Pro-nuclear narratives in both countries promotes nuclear as cheap and reliable, and downplay uncertainties present in the global discourse. The anti-nuclear energy storylines similar to those of global discourse are vocal about risks and lack of public involvement. The study1 concludes that in political discourses like in Lithuania there are more opportunities to challenge dominant narratives than in the technocratic debate taking place in Belarus. However, political and corporate interests coupled with unspecialized reporting have a universally constraining effect on national public discussions on nuclear energy. As a result, significant misinterpretations of global trends and knowledge gaps seem to occur in both types of the national debate.
