西部地区水电开发项目的社会冲突形成机理研究——基于扎根理论的质性分析

Study on Social Conflicts Formation Mechanism of Hydropower Development Projects in Western China:A Qualitative Analysis Based on Grounded Theory

西部地区拥有丰富的水资源,大力实行水电开发项目带来社会经济正面效应的同时,也可能因为多方面的原因引发社会冲突。本文以西部地区的水电开发项目为研究对象,通过整理西部地区水电项目的典型案例,基于扎根理论分析方法,构建西部地区水电开发项目的冲突形成机理模型。研究发现,西部地区水电开发项目的属性特征、企业行为和政府行为,造成了环境、安全、经济等方面的潜在影响,导致公众的风险感知、责任归因、文化认知的改变,引发其负面情绪反应等隐性冲突,并在一定条件下升级为显性冲突。据此,本文提出了缓解社会冲突的建议。

The western region of China has considerably rich water resources. While the active development of hydropower projects brings positive social and economic effects,it may also lead to social conflicts because of various reasons. This paper takes hydropower development projects in Western China as its research object. By sorting out typical cases of hydropower projects in Western China and using the grounded theory analysis method,the article shows the characteristics of hydropower development projects in Western China and the behavior rules of stakeholders,and it profoundly analyzes the public’s risk perception,emotion,psychology,and other factors. It also attempts to put together the conflict formation mechanism of hydropower development projects in Western China,plus it puts forward suggestions to alleviate social conflicts.In the model of the evolution mechanism of social conflicts in hydropower projects,the external situation will directly cause the potential impact of hydropower project construction. Private hydropower stations are more likely to be affected by conflicts over stakeholders’ rewards,such as inadequate compensation. Concentrated construction of small-scale hydropower stations will lead to sudden reductions in water flow,river interruptions,and droughts. Large and medium-sized hydropower stations may inundate villages,fields,and roads due to water storage and flood discharge. At the same time,hydropower stations in Western China are mostly built in mountainous areas,surrounded by many ethnic minority villages. Once a hydropower station construction goes wrong,the range of negative effects can get quite complicated. In addition,wrong behavior by enterprises and governments,such as improper negotiation and communication,and poor management and supervision,will directly lead to all kinds of problems having to do with safety,the environment,and the economy. Examples of these are the endangerment of residents’ lives,bad living conditions caused by environmental damage,inadequate compensation,etc.The aforementioned detrimental results regarding safety,the environment,and the economy will affect publiccognition. The people will judge the likelihood and severity of the potential consequences and make their own risk assessment. Then the possible danger will be ascribed to the company or the government,resulting in all sorts of reactions such as passive or aggressive anger,dissatisfaction,and helplessness( depending on their cognitive level). This,in turn,may lead to different actions against the situation. This process may be cyclical. At first,when the public is faced with the potential risks of hydropower projects,they usually take conventional actions to protect themselves from harm or safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. However,once these general measures don’t seem to work and,in addition,companies and governments respond negatively and so forth,then the public’s risk assessment will rapidly worsen,leading to substantial dissatisfaction. At this point,the public will take in the newly received information and re-evaluate the whole situation.