project

Start date: 2012

Date of completion: 2021

SES-Fusion – Nuclear fusion in Portuguese media speech

The Socio-Economic Studies Project implemented within the scope of the EUROFusion Consortium includes a Social Studies Group whose work plan for 2014-2018 comprises three dimensions:
– Dialogue and involvement of stakeholders on fusion energy
– Evaluate the attitude of the lay public about the merger
– Media analysis of merger representations

1. The “Workplan for the implementation of the 2014-2018 roadmap” recognizes the development of a dialogue with EU civil society on fusion energy as a prerequisite for the successful implementation of DEMO. As well as in other scientific communities, there is widespread recognition of the need for greater involvement of stakeholders and the general public. Involving stakeholders in innovation and large R & D projects can bring many benefits, such as ensuring that represent a variety of perspectives, increase transparency, increase support from key decision-makers, empower community members to be involved in project activities, raise public awareness, and improve coordination efforts. (surveys and focus groups with physics teachers and students), improve the strategy Eurofusion communication expertise (multi-method approach to creators and recipients of Eurofusion’s communication content), dialogues with informed civil society (workshops, deliberative panels) and technical evaluation of fusion technology (Delphi inquiry to fusion experts).

2. One of the focal points for sociological research to be conducted within the period 2014-2018 concerns public awareness and acceptance of fusion energy. Assessing the lay public’s attitude to the merger has been identified as an important issue to be addressed in the SES program. To this end, the main tools envisaged are the design, implementation and analysis of a special section devoted to fusion energy to be included in a public opinion survey to be carried out in Belgium (2015) and the implementation of CATI or online surveys in several European countries

3. The main objectives of the media analysis on merger are: to acquire more knowledge about the public’s understanding of fusion technologies by studying the media frames of these nuclear technologies in both the classical media, such as newspapers in selected countries, and social networks ; develop “communication tools” that are of practical use in order to contribute to the quality of the public debate on nuclear fusion technologies.

This project is funded under Eurofusion. It is coordinated by CIEMAT (Ana Prades), with the participation of SCK-CEN (Belgium) and ENEA-FRX. ICS participates in an agreement with IPFN-IST, the Portuguese partner at Eurofusion.

Luísa Schmidt (coord.), Ana Delicado, Ana Horta (2012-2014).

Associated Publications:

Portuguese Media Discourse on Nuclear Energy Before and After Fukushima

Comparative analysis of the public Discourse about fusion and nuclear energy before and after Fukushima

The Holy Grail of energy? A content and thematic analysis of the presentation of nuclear fusion on the Internet

O desastre nuclear de Fukushima e os seus impactos no enquadramento midiático das tecnologias de fissão e fusão nuclear

The Fukushima nuclear disaster and its effects on media framing of fission and fusion energy technologies

Public discourse on (old and new) nuclear energy technologies before andafter Fukushima