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Faulty Environments and Risk Reasoning: The Local Understanding of Industrial Hazards

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  • A Irwin

    (Department of Human Sciences, Brunei University, Uxbridge, Middx UB8 3PH, England)

  • P Simmons

    (Centre for the Study of Environmental Change, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YT, England)

  • G Walker

    (Division of Geography, Staffordshire University, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST4 2DE, England)

Abstract

Building upon a detailed empirical analysis of the local understanding of hazards in one geographical area, in this paper we offer a critique of both the psychometric and ‘risk society’ approaches to the relationship between lay and scientific groups. Specifically, we explore the connection between lay understandings of risk and the contexts of their development and application with regard to one industrial hazard site in northeast England. Rather than presenting local knowledges as fixed or separable from cultural practices and social worldviews, we examine the relational and active construction of environmental understandings—noting the significance of such factors as local memory, observation and evidence, definitions of expertise, risk and credibility, and moral discourses. The paper concludes with a discussion of the relationship between knowledge, understanding, and context. We also consider the wider significance of this case study both for environmental policy and for more theoretical treatments of science and its publics.

Suggested Citation

  • A Irwin & P Simmons & G Walker, 1999. "Faulty Environments and Risk Reasoning: The Local Understanding of Industrial Hazards," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 31(7), pages 1311-1326, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:31:y:1999:i:7:p:1311-1326
    DOI: 10.1068/a311311
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fujimura, Joan H. & Chou, Danny Y., 1994. "Dissent in science: Styles of scientific practice and the controversy over the cause of AIDS," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 1017-1036, April.
    2. Moffatt, Suzanne & Phillimore, Peter & Bhopal, Raj & Foy, Christopher, 1995. "'If this is what it's doing to our washing, what is it doing to our lungs?' Industrial pollution and public understanding in North-East England," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 883-891, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ana Guzmán Ruiz & Meredith Dobbie & Rebekah Brown, 2017. "Insights and future directions of transdisciplinary practice in the urban water sector," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 7(2), pages 251-263, June.
    2. Linsley, Philip M. & Shrives, Philip J., 2009. "Mary Douglas, risk and accounting failures," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 492-508.
    3. Shackley, Simon & Mander, Sarah & Reiche, Alexander, 2006. "Public perceptions of underground coal gasification in the United Kingdom," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(18), pages 3423-3433, December.
    4. Vandermoere, Frédéric, 2008. "Psychosocial health of residents exposed to soil pollution in a Flemish neighbourhood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(7), pages 1646-1657, April.
    5. Andy Gouldson, 2004. "Risk, regulation and the right to know: exploring the impacts of access to information on the governance of environmental risk," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 12(3), pages 136-149.
    6. Jeffrey Unerman & Brendan O'Dwyer, 2006. "Theorising accountability for NGO advocacy," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 19(3), pages 349-376, April.

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