| This thesis explores the spatial politics of petroleum development in Alberta, Canada. In recent years, some rural residents in Alberta have been working to prevent an expanding petroleum industry from siting facilities near their communities. At the centre of these siting conflicts is sour gas, a toxic, invisible byproduct of the petroleum industry that has been blamed for a number of health problems. The research involved in-depth interviews with members of two grass-roots initiatives that mobilized to stop proposed sour gas development. The research found that an important dimension of community resistance was a moral realm called the 'good life.' In particular, stories told by participants in interviews reflected the 'moral order' of country residential living. This research shows that belittling community resistance as stereotypical 'NIMBY' behavior failed to capture the basis of community opposition to sour gas development in the cases examined. |
