Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality [Hardcover]

Robert D. Bullard (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813319625 | ISBN-13: 978-0813319629 | Publication Date: July 1994 | Edition: 2 Sub

Starting with the premise that all Americans have a basic right to live in a healthy environment, this book chronicles the efforts of five African American communities, empowered by the civil-rights movement, to link environmentalism with issues of social justice.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert D. Bullard is a sociologist and long-time civil rights and environmental justice activist. He is professor of sociology at Clark Atlanta University, and also serves as director of the university’s Environmental Justice Resource Center.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 195 pages
• Publisher: Westview Pr (Short Disc); 2 Sub edition (July 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813319625
• ISBN-13: 978-0813319629
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,529,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent background for ecological justice movement, July 1, 2000

By 

Deb Lagutaris (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dumping In Dixie: Race, Class, And Environmental Quality, Third Edition (Paperback)

Dumping in Dixie is far more complex than the title implies. The book provides a detailed history of why the ecological movement failed to resonate with many disadvantaged groups, in particular, the African-Americans in the South. Participation was co-opted in part by lack of resources, and also by economic pressures. The threat of exit was effectively used by corporations that did not want to be subjected to restrictions on polluting activities. Business leaders quashed activism on the grounds that precious jobs would be lost. It was not until the 1990's that African-Americans became more involved.

Initially, the environmental movement was populated by the more affluent white American who seemed to be more concerned with the preservation of nature and clean space for leisure activities. Other motivations were less clear, and emerged with the maturity of the movement. Bullard details this history well. The only failing I found was the end of the book that tails off into solutions that seem impractical.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars dumping in dixie, July 2, 2004

By 

BOB (Washington, DC, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dumping In Dixie: Race, Class, And Environmental Quality, Third Edition (Paperback)

Robert Bullard, through his work Dumping in Dixie, calls to question the complex and controversial issue of environmental racism. He argues that African-Americans and minorities are being denied and stripped of a safe and healthy environment. Americans in certain areas, particularly low-income and minority families, are bearing the brunt of hazardous wastes and poisonous substances. Factories and corporations are choosing certain areas where they know that they can avoid pollution laws due to the current plight of the neighborhood. As a result, people in these low-income communities are suffering all the consequences of these corporations and receiving none of the economic benefits. Bullard emphasizes that the environmental movement did not resonate and take root in low-income communities, and therefore, there is a significant discrepancy in environmental threats and government protection between whites and minorities. Due to a lack of resources, mainly education and income, environmental racism exists in certain parts of America.
I feel as though Robert Bullard calls awareness to a very relevant and noteworthy issue in American society. Although he only uses a few small towns in his arguments, the fact that these issues exist anywhere is disturbing. Environmental justice did not resonate in disadvantaged areas, and the corporations and government are showing absolutely no regard for the people in these communities. People and places cannot be sacrificed, and something must definitely be done to prevent this obvious racism and discrimination.
In terms of his main arguments, I completely agree with Robert Bullard. He does an excellent job of raising a very significant issue. Many people do not even think about the evils of society, especially environmental racism. I did not even consider the innocent people and communities that were being harmed by these factories and corporations. Bullard's absolutely right, people are disadvantaged, and are oblivious to the environmental racism that exists and what can be done to stop it. By calling awareness to these problems and most importantly educating people on this issue, positive strides will be taken to eliminate this racism.
I thought that Bullard did a great job using tables to illustrate his data and further support his arguments. Although at times I found the work to be a bit data intense, the tables did a great job reinforcing the inequalities in environmental threats and government protection. Along the same lines, I felt that the different surveys and representative samples that were used gave his argument even more momentum and significance. The case studies that were used really added to the work, and did a good job of applying Bullard's beliefs to real life situations.
In addition to the fact that Bullard used too much data that sometimes slowed the read down, I felt that his emphasis on just the South may have detracted from his point a little. Although I understand that the South has been home to a majority of the African-American population, but it would have helped his argument to focus on at least one town in the north, whether it was white or black. I do not think that this emphasis completely destroyed his argument, but it is one critique of his work that I do feel is justified.
Overall, however, I thought that Dumping in Dixie was a very intellectually engaging and stimulating work that will make me think about environmental racism. The history of the environmental movement has a great impact on everyone in the world, and action must be taken to prevent these environmental discrepancies from occurring now and in the future.

4.0 out of 5 stars dumping in dixie a must read, July 7, 2004

By 

C Reza Ebrahimi (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dumping In Dixie: Race, Class, And Environmental Quality, Third Edition (Paperback)

In his book Dumping in Dixie, Robert Bullard contends the issue of environment racism. His exhaustive research is neatly packed into sections which continue to awe the reader; each section being filled with facts that prove that minorities are in fact living in less environmentally safe areas. These areas are the locations that large corporations choose to have their power plants and toxic waste dumps. Bullard proves that these areas are consciously chosen by corporations and the government so that they may avoid and escape pollution laws.
Bullard, as an environmental sociologist, hit the target with this classic book. The book is a statement or a demand for the rights of people of color and poor communities to be protected. It stresses the widening health, economic, and environmental disparities which are all present moving into the 21st century. He uses as examples a few small, poor-income towns which are the location of hazardous waste. Through these few towns he explores the country's corporate hold over laws, namely pollution laws. Bullard's main stress point is that the environmental movement did not begin or grow in low-income communities thus allowing for "environmental injustice" and somehow permitting the exploitation of those who are less fortunate; those who are unable to make a voice for themselves and moreover, those who lack the education of such an issue.
I think this book is a must read because it explores an issue that very few people are knowledgeable about. Before I read this book I thought I was aware of the environmental problems surrounding this nation. However, not only was I very ignorant in that field, I also learned much more regarding environmental racism and injustice. Through his use of countless and countless amounts of figures and data he is able to make to reinforce and back up every claim he makes. Even though at times I felt like was reading a textbook with all the data, the book is planned and organized in a matter that flows. As the book that laid the foundation for future environmental policy, this book should be read by everybody so they too may learn of the environmental injustices that go on purely on a matter of race and income.