Date of Award:
5-2016
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Sociology and Anthropology
Department name when degree awarded
Sociology, Social Work, & Anthropology
Committee Chair(s)
Peggy Petrzelka
Committee
Peggy Petrzelka
Committee
Don Albrecht
Committee
Douglas Jackson-Smith
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing has increasingly become a global phenomenon that has induced the public to be suspicious of the impacts of this process. As this new process has been fraught with controversy, it is important to gain further understanding of how different people perceive the risks associated with oil and gas development. Focusing on the Eagle Ford Shale region, located in South Texas, I examine how social position and source of information is related to perception of environmental and health risks. I do this by conducting a qualitative analysis of interviews from two counties experiencing hydraulic fracturing development, examining the most common environmental and health risk perceptions residents mention. The findings show that those in higher and lower social positions differed in the way they express environmental and health risk perceptions, and that each group receives information differently. This research provides evidence that different populations are being impacted by oil and gas development differently, and documents possible issues that industry and communities can work together on to alleviate.
Checksum
bf184b5ae44429a5e8ab54adbca7296e
Recommended Citation
Uzunian, Adrian B., "Interpreting Risk: Variations and Explanations of Resident Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing Impacts" (2016). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 4745.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4745
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