Rural local communities in the face of conflicts of the NIMBY type

Abstract

One of the ever more frequently observable conflicts is the NIMBY syndrome. This is a conflict that dominates chiefly at the local level since it entails in a large measure potential restrictions limiting the satisfaction of fundamental human needs such as security, stabilisation in life, and health. People become engaged in such conflicts exceptionally frequently because they consider them to threaten the essence of their existence within the community which they often decided to join to flee from noise, contaminated air, heavy traffic and industry. The article puts to analysis the NIMBY syndrome in rural communities in which the majority of disputes takes place. It describes the types of investments that evoked protests of the residents of rural areas as well as the participation of local communities in the decision-making processes and its influence on the stability of social situation. It also describes the actors of the NIMBY syndrome as well as the stages of conflict and the development of the protesters' awareness of their own interests. In the conclusion of the article the author presents both positive and negative effects of such type of conflicts for the functioning of rural local communities.