The value of environment in the controversy over antibacterial silver: A Swedish case study
Other conference contribution, 2015
This study analyzes the argumentation used in the Swedish controversy over using silver as an antibacterial agent in consumer and healthcare products. The analysis is based on texts from the news media, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, municipalities, companies, and the Swedish parliament and government. Opponents argue that silver harms the environment, while proponents not only refute this, but even claim it to be beneficial. Refutation of opposing views and invocations of scientific evidence are overall argumentative strategies used by both sides of the controversy. These patterns of the controversy form a complex and multi-faceted context that can be expected to restrict citizen conceptualization, information seeking, participation, and deliberation.
antibacterial silver
complex cause–effect chains
argumentation
environmental communication
environmental controversy
Author
Max Boholm
University of Gothenburg
Rickard Arvidsson
Chalmers, Energy and Environment, Environmental Systems Analysis
Communication for the Commons: Revisiting Participation and Environment. Proceedings of the 2013 Conference on Communication and Environment, Participation Revisited: Openings and Closures for Deliberations on the Commons, held in Uppsala, Sweden at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, June 6-11, 2013
65-76
Driving Forces
Sustainable development
Subject Categories
General Language Studies and Linguistics
Nano Technology