The brigands and the nuclear waste deposit: when a new environmental conflict becomes intractable

This paper illustrates an environmental confl ict (EC) that saw a small local community prevail over decisions taken by the central government. The conflict concerned the construction of a nuclear waste deposit in Scanzano Jonico (Italy). The research explores how this EC was framed by laypeople and investigates articulation and amplification dynamics during its escalation. An on-line forum used by laypeople involved in the conflict was submitted to content analyses. Results show that the main themes of the issue are defi ned from the outset and that their interplay contribute to confl ict escalation.