Unpacking the Intensity of Policy Conflicts: Lessons from Debates Over Shale Oil and Gas in the U.S.

Please join the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome Tanya Heikkila, PhD, Professor, Co-Director, Center for Policy and Democracy, University of Colorado, Denver, presenting a virtual seminar titled Unpacking the Intensity of Policy Conflicts: Lessons from Debates Over Shale Oil and Gas in the U.S. on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 from 9:30am – 10:45am (MT).

Policy conflicts often appear intense and intractable, especially in the energy policy domain. Yet, the intensity of policy conflicts can vary widely across contexts and issues. This presentation will describe and diagnose variation in policy conflicts in the context of shale oil and gas development over the past decade. It draws lessons for researchers and practitioners based on surveys, media analyses, and interviews of policy actors who are involved in or knowledgeable about shale development in the U.S.

Professor Heikkila’s research and teaching focus on policy processes and environmental governance. She is particularly interested in how conflict and collaboration arise in policy processes, and what types of institutions support collaboration, learning and conflict resolution. Some of her recent research has explored these issues in the context of interstate watersheds, large-scale ecosystem restoration programs, and unconventional oil and gas development. Prof. Heikkila has published numerous articles and books on these topics and has participated in several interdisciplinary research and education projects. She enjoys collaborating with faculty and students, especially through the Center for Policy and Democracy (CPD) at CU Denver, which she co-directs. Prior to coming to CU Denver, Prof. Heikkila was a post-doctoral fellow at Indiana University’s Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis and an Assistant Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. A native of Oregon, she received her BA from the University of Oregon and then learned to appreciate desert life while completing her MPA and PhD at the University of Arizona.