Environmental Justice And The New Pluralism

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In the first ever theoretical treatment of the environmental justice movement, David Schlosberg demonstrates the development of a new form of 'critical' pluralism, in both theory and practice. Taking into account the evolution of environmentalism and pluralism over the course of the century, the author argues that the environmental justice movement and new pluralist theories now represent a considerable challenge to both conventional pluralist thought and the practices of the major groups in the US environmental movement.

Much of recent political theory has been aimed at how to acknowledge and recognize, rather than deny, the diversity inherent in contemporary life. In practice, the myriad ways people define and experience the 'environment' has given credence to a form of environmentalism that takes difference seriously.

The environmental justice movement, with its base in diversity, its networked structure, and its communicative practices and demands, exemplifies the attempt to design political practices beyond those one would expect from a standard interest group in the conventional pluralist model. Review: Unlike many books in political science, Environmental Justice and the New Pluralism will be as helpful to political activists as it will be to academics.

It delineates the differences among different generations of pluralist thought and relates those differences to efforts to organize the environmental movement, suggesting ways that would be both more effective and more just. This book is important because it is one of the first by a political theorist to examine the theoretical implications of the environmental justice movement carefully.

Let us hope it opens doors that other political scientists will explore American Political Science Review A serious, well-grounded and original piece of work which makes a valuable contribution to both the normative and policy-related aspects of contemporary environmentalism Political Studies Schlosberg has produced an original, important and theoretically informed, critical book which deserves to be read by all those interested in developing an understanding of grassroots environmental resistance within a larger (critical pluralist) framework of non-state centered forms of environmental politics Capitalism, Nature, Socialism (CNS) David Schlosberg's book is that rare thing - a combination of solid empirical social science research integrated with a critical theoretical framework ...

Schlosberg has produced an excellent critical introduction and examination of the grassroots, institutional character of the movement as well as a clear normative-theoretical analysis Capitalism, Nature, Socialism (CNS) This book should be of interest to environmental philosophers simply as a clearly presented and well-documented synthesis of recent work in political theory and of recent activism in the name of environmental justice.

More than that, however, it raises a fundamental challenge to environmental philosophy as it has been practiced Environmental Ethics