Street Science: Community Knowledge and Environmental Health Justice (Urban and Industrial Environments) [Paperback]

Jason Corburn (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0262532727 | ISBN-13: 978-0262532723 | Publication Date: August 19, 2005

When environmental health problems arise in a community, policymakers must be able to reconcile the first-hand experience of local residents with recommendations by scientists. In this highly original look at environmental health policymaking, Jason Corburn shows the ways that local knowledge can be combined with professional techniques to achieve better solutions for environmental health problems. He traces the efforts of a low-income community in Brooklyn to deal with environmental health problems in its midst and offers a framework for understanding "street science" -- decision making that draws on community knowledge and contributes to environmental justice.Like many other low-income urban communities, the Greenpoint/Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn suffers more than its share of environmental problems, with a concentration of polluting facilities and elevated levels of localized air pollutants. Corburn looks at four instances of street science in Greenpoint/Williamsburg, where community members and professionals combined forces to address the risks from subsistence fishing from the polluted East River, the asthma epidemic in the Latino community, childhood lead poisoning, and local sources of air pollution. These episodes highlight both the successes and the limits of street science and demonstrate ways residents can establish their own credibility when working with scientists. Street science, Corburn argues, does not devalue science; it revalues other kinds of information and democratizes the inquiry and decision making processes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"These rich essays teach us about politics and place, about memory and hope, about planning and organizing to transform our neighborhoods and cities. We read about New Urbanist schemes and resistance to landfills, ambitious action research overcoming tall odds, and much more, and we come away often moved, a bit daunted, refreshed, and inspired as well."--John Forester, Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University

"I have rarely read a professional book that has had more of an impact on me, and it's been years since I found one as engrossing as Corburn's *Street Science*. This is an amazing volume, and one that should quickly become a classic."--Meredith Minkler, Professor of Health and Social Behavior, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley

"*Street Science* shows vividly how local knowledge, inquiry, and organizing can extend the reach and refine the focus of established professional expertise. Jason Corburn's environmental and public health cases enrich contemporary planning, action research, and the search for environmental health and justice too."--John Forester, Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University

"*Street Science* adds an important new dimension to the literature on environmental justice by insightfully and systematically examining how community-based knowledge contributes to scientific inquiry. The book is an invaluable resource to both community activists and professional scientists."--Charles Lee, author, *Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States*

"Like a well-informed and motivated patient, a community that actively investigates local health conditions can contribute greatly to better outcomes. But this is a messy and imprecise process, one that is as much about democracy as it is about wellness. Corburn's rich and insightful book recognizes the value of local knowledge and sharpens our understanding of how community residents and health professionals can collaborate effectively to seek a second opinion."--Don Chen, Executive Director, Smart Growth America

About the Author

Jason Corburn is Associate Professor of City & Regional Planning in the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. He is the author of Street Science: Community Knowledge and Environmental Health Justice, winner of the 2007 Paul Davidoff award given by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

Product Details

• Paperback: 281 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (August 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262532727
• ISBN-13: 978-0262532723
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,688 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jason Corburn is Associate Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning and the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Corburn also co-directs Berkeley's joint Masters in City Planning and Masters in Public Health degree program. He is the author of two award winning books focused on urban health equity: Toward the Healthy City (MIT Press, 2009) and Street Science (MIT Press, 2005). His teaching, research and practice focuses on working with community-based organizations to link public health, city planning and social justice in cities around the world.