Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is a complex process involving various actors with deviating viewpoints, perceptions and approaches. This study identifies and explains different viewpoints in northern European MSP processes by contextualizing the different viewpoints of national maritime spatial planners, policymakers, scientists, consultants, and representatives of intergovernmental organizations who are involved in the MSP process. The Q Methodology, a method to study the subjectivity of participants, combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore people’s viewpoints has been utilized to identify the different frameworks in MSP. A total of five viewpoints have been conceptualized in MSP, based on 17 participants and 39 statements, that cover the whole range of MSP. Simultaneously, respective factor loadings of participants have been identified. This research proves that there seems to be a limited set of viewpoints among the community, despite the amount of stakeholders, their different backgrounds and origin. Results of this study could help to manage different or even conflicting viewpoints in MSP in the future.
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In January 2017, relations between Greece and Turkey were under severe strain when warships from both sides engaged in a brief standoff near a pair of uninhabited Greek ‘islets’ in the Aegean, whose sovereignty is disputed by Turkey. Theoretically informed by the literature of foreign policy analysis, we examine how the Greek diplomats, military officers and political analysts interpreted Turkey’s behaviour at that particular time. The article considers the following research question: which factors, from a Greek point of view, explain Turkey’s foreign policy in the Aegean in January 2017? Our theoretical expectation is that, in the aftermath of the coup attempt in Turkey, Greek diplomats, military officers and political analysts would ascribe domestic calculations into Turkey’s activities. We employed Q- methodology to uncover socially shared perspectives on this topic. Based on our findings, we uncovered two viewpoints: (1) Turkey’s diachronic strategy in the Aegean and (2) the strongman style. According to the former and most widely shared viewpoint, a consistent ‘rationalist’ strategy to change the status quo in the Aegean explains Turkey’s behaviour. According to the second one, the belief system of Turkey’s leadership legitimises the use of force in the conduct of foreign policy.
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The domestic use of natural gas for heating is the prevalent option in the Netherlands. However, heat pumps will be mandatory in most Dutch households by 2026. Therefore, insights are needed in how citizens perceive this technology, by taking into account various societal, technological, economic, environmental, and political aspects. Our research offers a systematic investigation of the multiple viewpoints of heat pump users and their neighbors in Groningen, northern Netherlands. Using Q-methodology, we identified three distinct but interrelated and shared viewpoints: the realistic users, the hesitant neighbors and the enthusiastic advocates. All three shared viewpoints incorporate social influence and cognitive considerations, with the positive environmental impacts of heat pumps being highlighted in unison. Cognitive considerations relate mainly to technical and economic concerns. Social influence considerations often hint at the necessity of making prior agreements with the neighbors. We argue that the findings of this study can support policymakers toward the development of an integrated heat transition strategy.
