Utbyggnaden av Landvetter flygplats. En diskursiv undersökning av centrala aktörers fokus och intressen i smaband med flygplatsexpansion

Abstract

This is a study that entails the discourse surrounding the plans of an expansion of Gothenburg Landvetter Airport. The expansion of Gothenburg Landvetter Airport is underway which raises questions on how this development is being talked about by the parties involved. Lack of previous discursive research on Landvetter Airport is the primary motive for this study, therein providing new discursive research on an unstudied area. The results were put in comparison with previous studies concerning airport expansion and discourse. By conducting interviews with the key parties taking part in the expansion, their main interests and focuses as well as their views on potential problems of the expansion could be analysed and discussed. The results show that there are common discourses among the different parties concerning certain matters, especially the benefits of expanded logistics facilities, but also show differing ways of talking about the problems that may arise with an expansion, foremost the complexities of increased future traffic and its impacts on the local population. There are similarities between the findings of this study and previous research on how discourse can affect the public and the problems that can emerge for the local population. The study also shows that the key parties tend to mainly focus on the positive effects of an expansion. The contradictions present in discourse are also observed.