Issues of risk, trust and knowledge: The Hallandsas tunnel case

For a variety of reasons the construction of large-scale industrial plants or infrastructure projects such as roads, railways or airfields, which have a considerable impact on the local community and its environment, are ofte n controversial and strongly contested. This article addresses the response s of the local community to the building of a huge railway tunnel through t he Hallandsas ridge in the south of Sweden. One of the crucial issues in co ntemporary industrial societies is how nationally designed and conceived pr ojects deemed necessary for economic growth can be implemented in a local e nvironment, situated in a specific, historically and traditionally conditio ned context of time and space. Issues of risk perception, trust in authorit ies, industry and managers, as well as the related issue of what kinds of k nowledge are deemed relevant by various groups are discussed with reference to the Hallandsas tunnel case.