Environmental Justice in America: A New Paradigm [Hardcover]

Edwardo Lao Rhodes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2003

Edwardo Lao Rhodes examines the issue of environmental justice as a public policy concern and suggests the use of a new methodology in its evaluation. Rather than argue the merits of growth versus environmental protection, he makes the case that race and class were not major concerns of environmental policy until the 1990s. Why this was so, and why awareness of social justice should be an important consideration in thinking about environmental impact takes up the first part of the book. Part II looks more closely at public policy concerns and discusses the methodological approaches that can illuminate the problem of environmental justice. Rhodes proposes the use of "data envelopment analysis" as a more useful risk assessment tool than current methodologies. The book's final section examines the disposal of hazardous material in rural Noxubee County, Mississippi. After acknowledging the difficulties of arriving at an "equitable" solution in this complex case, Rhodes discusses recommendations that might ensure that sharing the burden of risk becomes a fundamental part of environmental policy. Although Environmental Justice in America deals primarily with the United States, it raises issues of international concern: global environmental justice programs, national sovereignty, the paternalism of developed nations toward the underdeveloped world, and questions of economic necessity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In this excellent and balanced examination of the growth and future of the environmental justice movement, Rhodes (Indiana Univ. School of Public and Environmental Affairs) examines the background against which environmental justice issues are viewed. The roots of the environmental movement were in wilderness preservation, and even today, some environmental groups resist concerning themselves with what they regard as social policies and urban problems. Minorities had more pressing priorities. But now, a paradigm shift is occurring and the pivotal pioneering voices, such as Robert Bullard's, are being heard. Diversity in both membership and leadership of environmental groups is slowly increasing. Access to information about toxic waste facilities has improved, while the increase in pollution is now more visible. This book argues that the time has come when all the various factors have reached a critical mass. In the future, agencies must more explicitly address in their policies how actions and decisions about the environment will differentially affect increasingly segmented populations. The myth that minorities do not care about the environment is disappearing as communities become empowered by awareness and inclusion in decision-making processes. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels." —S. E. Wiegand, Saint Mary's College, Choice, July 2003

(S. E. Wiegand, Saint Mary's College Choice 2003) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Edwardo Lao Rhodes is Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 025334137X
• ISBN-13: 978-0253341372
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,615,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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