Policy Debates on Hydraulic Fracturing

"This important book employs comparative case studies using the Advocacy Coalition Framework on hydraulic fracking controversies in seven North American and European countries, providing a much-needed demonstration of the array of methods that can be brought to bear on studies of policy change at the subsystem level. Serious public policy scholars and graduate students should read this book." (Hank Jenkins-Smith, George Lynn Cross Research Professor, University of Oklahoma, USA) "This terrific book provides a much needed comparative analysis of shale policy and debates in advanced democracies. Held together by a common conceptual framework, the collection delivers an insight-rich study of the key players, coalition dynamics and contested authority surrounding hydraulic fracturing. A must read for students of comparative policy, environment or energy politics." (Elizabeth Bomberg, Professor of Environmental Politics, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)

This edited volume compares seven countries in North America and Europe on the highly topical issue of oil and gas development that uses hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” The comparative analysis is based on the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) and guided by two questions: First, in each country, what are current coalitions and the related policy output? Second, based on the current situation, what are the chances for future policy change? This book is the first to use a social science approach to analyze hydraulic fracturing debates and the first application of the ACF that is deliberately comparative. The contributions in this book advance our understanding about the formation of coalitions and development of public policy in the context of different forms of government and economically recoverable natural resources.