عنوان

The role of the environmental movement in government decision making in newly democratised Korea

Number

TLets557531

Title Proper

The role of the environmental movement in government decision making in newly democratised Korea

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

Kim, Myung Jun

Subsequent Statement of Responsibility

Dabinett, Gordon

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

University of Sheffield

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

2012

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Ph.D.

Body granting the degree

University of Sheffield

Text preceding or following the note

2012

Text of Note

This research started from a concern about the changing role of the environmental movementin government decision making in newly democratised Korea. Many empirical studies foundthat environmental movements in other transitional democracies reached their peak duringthe liberalisation of authoritarian regimes, and considerably declined after democratisation.Unlike these cases, the Korean environmental movement grew greatly after democratisation,but faced its decline later within civil society-friendly administrations (1998-2007). Thistrajectory raises questions about what actually happened between the government and theenvironmental movement in Korea.To explain this phenomenon, this research selected the political opportunity structure (POS)approach, which stresses the importance of political environment around social movements.Based on the two dimensions of the POS - "access to the political system" and"configuration of actors", this research has explored, (i) what forms of access chances werecreated by the Korean government in decision making; (ii) what change occurred in therelationships between the environmental movement, government, and other social actors; and(iii) how these factors influenced the environmental movement's ability to influenceoutcomes. The research is based on case studies of two anti-dam movements, the Dong Riverdam movement and the Hantan River dam movement, and interviews were carried out withkey stakeholders, including environmental activists, public officials, experts, and newspaperreporters.

Kim, Myung Jun

Dabinett, Gordon

University of Sheffield

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y