Environmental injustice in the United States : myths and realities

Environmental Injustice in the United States provides systematic insight into the social, economic, and political dynamics of environmental decision-making, and the impacts of those decisions on minority communities. The first part of the book examines closely the history of the environmental justice movement and the scholarly literature to date, with a discussion about how the issue made the public agenda in the first place. The second part of the book is a unique quantitative analysis of the relationship among race, class, political mobilization, and environmental harm at three levels-- state, county, and city. Despite the initial skepticism of the authors, their study finds both race and class to be significant variables in explaining patterns of environmental harm. The third part of the book then offers policy recommendations to decisionmakers, based on the book's findings. It was named a Choice Outstanding Academic Book of 2001.

Environmental Injustice in the United States provides systematic insight into the social, economic, and political dynamics of environmental decision-making, and the impacts of those decisions on mino

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Lester (formerly, political science, Colorado State University), Allen (political science, Colorado State University), and Hill (former policy analyst, Conference of State Legislatures) provide systematic analysis into the social, economic, and political dynamics of environmental decision-making, and the effects of those decisions on minority communities. The book examines the history of the environmental justice movement and offers an overview of the scholarly literature. It also offers a quantitative analysis of the relationship among race, class, political mobilization, and environmental harm at the state, county, and city levels. The authors close by offering policy recommendations. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

An emerging body of literature, collected under the genres of environmental racism or environmental equity, argues that unbalanced proportions of environmental hazards are located in black, Hispanic, and poor communities (see, e.g., Mohai and Bryant, 1992; Bullard, 1990a, 1993a; Capek, 1993; Jordan, 1980; Szasz, 1994; United Church of Christ, 1987). Provides systematic insight into the political, social, and economic dynamics of environmental decision making and how they effect minority communities. Includes a quantitative analysis of the relationship between race, class, and political mobilization and environmental harm at the city, state and county levels