Abstract Despite extensive social science research into public perceptions and social responses to fracking, scholars have only begun to examine the relationship between distance to development and support or opposition for it. Importantly, the emerging studies are exclusively from the United States, and focus on communities and regions in which fracking already exists – in contrast to areas where it is proposed and still going through planning approvals. This paper reports public responses to proposed fracking in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. A total of 120 people participated in an in-person survey with a qualitative follow-up in four locations: the village right next to the development site, two other villages just inside and just outside the wider fracking concession area, and in the capital city of Belfast, 150 km away. A clear spatial pattern of opinion was found, from almost universal opposition to fracking next to the site, to an even three-way split between proponents, opponents and ‘neutrals’ to fracking in general, in Belfast. Results show that some risks are perceived to be more local than others, whilst perceived (economic) benefits are recognised mainly at the national level. Content analysis of local and national newspapers revealed a very clear and similar pattern. Connections to Fermanagh, through visits or long-term residence, were also clear predictors of opposition to fracking. The spatial pattern of support for fracking in Northern Ireland differs substantially from each of the contrasting patterns observed in the United States. We discuss likely reasons for this and implications for both research and policy.

中文翻译：

---

距离如何影响厌恶：对北爱尔兰Fermanagh拟议的压裂的回应

摘要尽管进行了广泛的社会科学研究，以研究公众对水力压裂的看法和社会对压裂的反应，但学者们才刚刚开始研究发展的距离与对发展的支持或反对之间的关​​系。重要的是，新兴研究完全来自美国，并且重点关注已经存在水力压裂的社区和地区，这与提出并仍在进行规划批准的地区相反。本文报告了公众对联合王国北爱尔兰费尔马纳郡拟议压裂的回应。共有120人参加了面对面的调查，并在四个地点进行了定性的跟进：紧挨开发地点的村庄，位于压裂特许权范围内外的另外两个村庄以及首都150公里外的贝尔法斯特市。在贝尔法斯特，人们发现了一种清晰的意见空间格局，从几乎普遍的反对到对现场的压裂，到拥护者，反对者和“中立者”甚至是压裂之间的三分。结果表明，某些风险被认为比其他风险更具局部性，而感知到的（经济）利益则主要在国家层面得到认可。对地方和国家报纸的内容分析显示出非常清晰和相似的模式。通过访问或长期居住与费马纳（Fermanagh）的联系也清楚地表明了反对压裂的可能性。北爱尔兰对压裂的支持空间格局与美国观察到的每一种对比格局都大不相同。我们讨论了可能的原因以及对研究和政策的影响。