This article analyzes identity descriptions in the environmental justice literature to identify significant life experiences of environmental justice activists. Three significant life experiences are identified: 1) recognizing their social/environmental marginality, 2) developing embodied knowledge from negative social/environmental experiences, and 3) feeling empowered through working within environmental justice communities focused on inclusion and justice. These experiences highlight the importance of social positionality and negative experiences, in contrast to the more positive experiences typically emphasized in significant life experience research.
Selection, drift, speciation, and dispersal are the four key processes that influence patterns of species composition and diversity in ecological communities. Selection represents fitness differences between species, drift represents stochastic changes in species abundance, speciation creates new species, and dispersal is the movement of organisms across space. While community ecology considers many specific mechanisms and interactions, all theoretical models emphasize one or more of these four fundamental processes. Organizing community ecology around these processes provides a coherent conceptual framework and clarifies similarities and differences between models.
This document summarizes a study that used interviews to investigate the values, motivations, and routes to engagement of UK citizens who have adopted lower-carbon lifestyles. The study found that social justice, community, frugality, and personal integrity were common themes among interviewees. Participants were often more motivated by concern for vulnerable people impacted by climate change than by concern for "the environment" itself. While biospheric values were important, participants tended to score altruistic values higher on a survey. The study also examined how participants became engaged with climate action, finding links to human rights and community groups as well as environmental organizations.
1. The document discusses several perspectives on addressing climate change from various publications. It outlines 10 suggestions for policymakers from the book "Human Choice and Climate Change" including taking a holistic view and recognizing both environmental and institutional limits.
2. It also summarizes key points from other publications. One argues international climate mechanisms are cumbersome and insufficient. Another notes we disagree on climate change because we worry about different things. A third discusses defining climate change as a "wicked problem" with many potential solutions.
3. The document advocates for a pluralistic approach incorporating hierarchical, individualistic, and egalitarian forms of governance when addressing climate change. It promotes "many 10% solutions" rather than one single solution
Sociobiology carries the assumption that the behavior is influenced by genes, though not rigidly determined by them; any behavior emerges through the interaction between the genes and environment. Edward O. Wilson brought the term (and the concept it represents) into both academic and popular usage with his 1976 book Sociobiology: The New Synthesis (Wilson 1976). Wilson was an ant biologist and had spent his career observing the much ramified social behavior of these insects, though his book extended to social behavior throughout the animal kingdom. The book was a synthesis of the existing work, clearly establishing how the evolutionary theory could be applied to the understanding of social behavior. It was a landmark in evolutionary biology and was resulted in two key shifts in the study of animal behavior. First, sociobiology’s mainly focuses is on the functional significance of behavior (Wilson et al., 2005). Previous work on the animal behavior, in the discipline of ethnology for example, had focused more on the mechanisms by which the behavior is brought about.
Trim Tab Winter 2013 - Falling in Love w LifeBill Reed
1) The article discusses the need for humans to shift towards a state of being that is in right relationship with nature through developing an understanding of why we should care for life and practicing how to do so.
2) It argues that technology alone cannot save the environment and that the greatest leverage comes from inner human development and practices that foster a caring relationship with nature.
3) Research like the Human Microbiome Project shows that humans are intricately interconnected with other life forms through our microbiomes, and should view ourselves as part of larger living systems rather than as a singular species. This highlights our dependence on nature and other organisms.
Feygina, Jost, & Goldsmith (2010, PSPB) System Justification, Denial of Globa...Irina Feygina, Ph.D.
This study examines how system justification tendencies relate to denial of environmental problems and resistance to pro-environmental action. The researchers hypothesize that people are motivated to defend the societal status quo, even when it poses threats like environmental destruction. They propose that greater system justification will be associated with increased denial of environmental issues and less commitment to environmentalism. The study also explores whether system justification can explain known differences in environmental attitudes along political, national, and gender lines. Specifically, it tests if higher system justification among conservatives, strong national identifiers, and men can account for their lower levels of environmental concern compared to liberals, weaker national identifiers, and women. Finally, the researchers investigate whether encouraging environmental change as consistent with protecting the status quo can
The Influence of Gardening Activities on Consumer Perceptions of Life Satisfa...BenBeckers
This study investigated the influence of gardening on perceptions of life satisfaction. The researchers surveyed over 400 gardeners and non-gardeners using the Life Satisfaction Inventory A (LSIA), which measures five components of quality of life. Results showed that gardeners had statistically significant higher overall life satisfaction scores than non-gardeners. When individual statements were analyzed, gardeners responded more positively on statements relating to energy levels, optimism, zest for life, and physical self-concept. Gardeners also rated their overall health and physical activity levels higher than non-gardeners.
Selection, drift, speciation, and dispersal are the four key processes that influence patterns of species composition and diversity in ecological communities. Selection represents fitness differences between species, drift represents stochastic changes in species abundance, speciation creates new species, and dispersal is the movement of organisms across space. While community ecology considers many specific mechanisms and interactions, all theoretical models emphasize one or more of these four fundamental processes. Organizing community ecology around these processes provides a coherent conceptual framework and clarifies similarities and differences between models.
This document summarizes a study that used interviews to investigate the values, motivations, and routes to engagement of UK citizens who have adopted lower-carbon lifestyles. The study found that social justice, community, frugality, and personal integrity were common themes among interviewees. Participants were often more motivated by concern for vulnerable people impacted by climate change than by concern for "the environment" itself. While biospheric values were important, participants tended to score altruistic values higher on a survey. The study also examined how participants became engaged with climate action, finding links to human rights and community groups as well as environmental organizations.
1. The document discusses several perspectives on addressing climate change from various publications. It outlines 10 suggestions for policymakers from the book "Human Choice and Climate Change" including taking a holistic view and recognizing both environmental and institutional limits.
2. It also summarizes key points from other publications. One argues international climate mechanisms are cumbersome and insufficient. Another notes we disagree on climate change because we worry about different things. A third discusses defining climate change as a "wicked problem" with many potential solutions.
3. The document advocates for a pluralistic approach incorporating hierarchical, individualistic, and egalitarian forms of governance when addressing climate change. It promotes "many 10% solutions" rather than one single solution
Sociobiology carries the assumption that the behavior is influenced by genes, though not rigidly determined by them; any behavior emerges through the interaction between the genes and environment. Edward O. Wilson brought the term (and the concept it represents) into both academic and popular usage with his 1976 book Sociobiology: The New Synthesis (Wilson 1976). Wilson was an ant biologist and had spent his career observing the much ramified social behavior of these insects, though his book extended to social behavior throughout the animal kingdom. The book was a synthesis of the existing work, clearly establishing how the evolutionary theory could be applied to the understanding of social behavior. It was a landmark in evolutionary biology and was resulted in two key shifts in the study of animal behavior. First, sociobiology’s mainly focuses is on the functional significance of behavior (Wilson et al., 2005). Previous work on the animal behavior, in the discipline of ethnology for example, had focused more on the mechanisms by which the behavior is brought about.
Trim Tab Winter 2013 - Falling in Love w LifeBill Reed
1) The article discusses the need for humans to shift towards a state of being that is in right relationship with nature through developing an understanding of why we should care for life and practicing how to do so.
2) It argues that technology alone cannot save the environment and that the greatest leverage comes from inner human development and practices that foster a caring relationship with nature.
3) Research like the Human Microbiome Project shows that humans are intricately interconnected with other life forms through our microbiomes, and should view ourselves as part of larger living systems rather than as a singular species. This highlights our dependence on nature and other organisms.
Feygina, Jost, & Goldsmith (2010, PSPB) System Justification, Denial of Globa...Irina Feygina, Ph.D.
This study examines how system justification tendencies relate to denial of environmental problems and resistance to pro-environmental action. The researchers hypothesize that people are motivated to defend the societal status quo, even when it poses threats like environmental destruction. They propose that greater system justification will be associated with increased denial of environmental issues and less commitment to environmentalism. The study also explores whether system justification can explain known differences in environmental attitudes along political, national, and gender lines. Specifically, it tests if higher system justification among conservatives, strong national identifiers, and men can account for their lower levels of environmental concern compared to liberals, weaker national identifiers, and women. Finally, the researchers investigate whether encouraging environmental change as consistent with protecting the status quo can
The Influence of Gardening Activities on Consumer Perceptions of Life Satisfa...BenBeckers
This study investigated the influence of gardening on perceptions of life satisfaction. The researchers surveyed over 400 gardeners and non-gardeners using the Life Satisfaction Inventory A (LSIA), which measures five components of quality of life. Results showed that gardeners had statistically significant higher overall life satisfaction scores than non-gardeners. When individual statements were analyzed, gardeners responded more positively on statements relating to energy levels, optimism, zest for life, and physical self-concept. Gardeners also rated their overall health and physical activity levels higher than non-gardeners.
This review examines 19 studies that investigated the effects of various pollutants on the reproductive behavior of fish species. Several studies found changes in courtship behaviors like decreases in display frequency or increases in courtship duration. Studies of parental care found effects like decreased nest-building, reduced offspring defense, or changes in how care is divided between sexes. However, few studies measured impacts on reproductive success or population-level effects. The review develops a framework to explore links between pollution and reproductive behavior ecology, and how this could impact populations through life history tradeoffs, genetic changes, and population size.
The document discusses the mental health benefits of urban greenspace based on existing literature and evidence. It examines the commonly cited beliefs that contact with nature in cities can reduce stress and improve well-being. The scientific evidence for these claims comes from a few types of studies: controlled experiments showing benefits of natural views/settings, studies using nature photos/videos to test reactions, surveys of people's experiences and preferences in nature, and analyses of health data related to locations. While some evidence supports the beliefs, the magnitude of nature's effects depends also on lack of stressors in built environments. Overall access to restorative natural areas in cities may produce short and long-term mental and physical health benefits.
Human ecology theory views humans and families as interacting with their environments. It considers these relationships as systems, with families carrying out biological, economic, and social functions for themselves and society. Families and environments are interdependent and influence each other. Families must adapt as they allocate resources to meet individual and family needs while balancing cooperation with demands for autonomy. The goal is survival and improving quality of life while sustaining natural resources.
1. Andrew Light argues that environmental ethics should take a more pragmatic approach and embrace both biocentric and anthropocentric views to engage the public on environmental issues. This will make environmental ethics more accessible and allow environmental philosophers to better persuade people.
2. Ramachandra Guha provides a developing world perspective on environmental ethics, arguing that Western conservation models can harm indigenous communities. Sustainability approaches must consider how local human populations interact with nature.
3. Brian Walker and David Salt introduce resilience thinking, which focuses on systems' ability to withstand disturbances rather than optimization. Considering interconnected social and ecological systems can increase nature's value and support sustainability.
Slide show prepared for a series of lectures on environmentalism for PS 240 Introduction to Political Theory at the University of Kentucky, Fall 2007. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Lecturer.
1) The document describes a glasshouse experiment conducted as part of a master's thesis investigating the limiting similarity hypothesis and its potential application to restoration ecology and invasion resistance.
2) The experiment studied the effects of seed size and density on the establishment of three plant species grown individually and in mixtures.
3) Results are presented for each individual species as well as combined results, with a discussion of how the findings relate to theories of limiting similarity, functional traits, and community assembly rules.
This study aims to examine the associations between urban park usage and mental health benefits. Previous research has shown links between nature exposure, physical activity, and mental health, but this study seeks to remove physical activity as a variable and look directly at different ways parks are used and their impacts on mental health. Data will be collected through surveys of 650 park users and non-users in Hampton Roads, Virginia on topics like nature exposure, facility availability and size, and mental health. The findings could help inform funding and policies to expand access to nature and address mental health disparities in urban areas.
The document discusses the importance of nature connection for human health and well-being. It notes that urbanization and technology use have reduced opportunities for meaningful engagement with nature. Nature connection is defined as a subjective, multi-dimensional sensation of belonging within the natural world. Research presented suggests that spending time in and connecting with nature is associated with benefits like lower stress, better physical health, increased well-being and pro-environmental behavior. The document proposes specific pathways like contact, emotion, meaning and compassion that can strengthen an individual's nature connection. It advocates communicating nature's benefits by framing activities around these pathways and focusing on shared humanity with the natural world.
Greening in the Red Zone - Valuing Community-based Ecological Restoration in ...Keith G. Tidball
Presentation given Oct 17, 2012
CUNY Center for Urban Environmental Reform
CUNY School of Law
2 Court Square
Long Island City, NY
11101
A presentation of the
New York City Urban Field Station
Quarterly Research Seminar Series
A partnership between the
USDA Forest Service
and
New York City Department of
Parks and Recreation
This document summarizes a study that explored how participants in an environmental community project discussed their pro-environmental behaviors and identities. The study used discourse analysis of interviews to examine the social identity positions participants took up. It found that participants negotiated tensions between their green identities and non-green behaviors by drawing on discourses that positioned them positively, such as responsible parents or hygienic mothers. They also distanced themselves from more "extreme" identities like eco-warriors. The study shows how social identities can support sustainable behaviors through "scaffolding" desired actions.
How Does Taking Part in a Community Allotment Group Affect the Everyday Lives, Self Perception and Social Inclusion of Participants
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Ecosystem resilience and community values: Implications to ecosystem-based ad...Noralene Uy
The resilience analysis of ecosystems and mapping of community values and actions attempted in this study provide entry points for an ecosystem-based adaptation strategy which addresses positive and negative factors as well as acts on gaps and opportunities in enhancing climate resilience in Infanta.
Dr. Anna Evely. Looking at conservation projects that engage with volunteersAnnaEvely
what are conservation projects that involve volunteers?
why look at conservation projects that involve volunteers?
choosing methods when crossing disciplines: taking an integrative approach
how might participation be linked to attitudes?
how might participation be linked to social learning?
Dr. Anna Evely. Looking at conservation projects that engage with volunteersAberdeen CES
The document discusses conservation projects that involve volunteers and their importance for sustainability and resilience. It explores how participation may be linked to attitudes and social learning, and emphasizes taking an integrative approach when researching these projects by considering different methods and philosophies. Choosing the appropriate research method requires understanding one's philosophical approach.
1. The document discusses how social scientists are developing models to understand how socio-psychological factors impact environmental policy and issues like waste management.
2. It examines two main theories - attitude theory which looks at how thoughts influence behavior, and behavioral analysis which examines rewards/punishments.
3. A key issue is that the psychological approaches are individualistic, and a more sociological understanding is needed that considers social connections and cooperation in communities.
The Perspective and Association of Geography with Environment and Societypaperpublications3
Abstract: The study examines the relationship of the discipline of Geography with conceptual terms of Environment and society. Geography is seen as a spatial science, majorly concerned with spatial analysis, of how and why things differ from place to place and how observable spatial pattern evolved through time on the surface of the earth. The study adopts a survey of literature as its methodology. It is observable that every society has its individual physical and cultural attributes that distinguishing it from other societies; thus giving it unique character, potential and location. And it is found that in society cultural traits are more pronounced in changing the natural phenomena of the environment. The Environment is better understood when broken to its component: atmosphere, hydrosphere lithosphere and biosphere. Environment has all that is needed to sustain the society and all that is required for life sustenance. It provides the setting with which human action occurs, its shapes but not dictate, how people live in the society as well as their resource base. However, how resources are perceived and utilized is culturally conditioned in society. And virtually every human activity leaves its imprint on the environment. Environment and society form the laboratory for geographic operation. And its spheres form the space which is the major concern in geography and the concept of society introduces the important factor of culture which greatly has direct impact on the environment. The socio-cultural content of the society is influenced by the environment where it locates and the society modifies the content of the environment. There are interconnection between the environment and society which purposely produces spatial patterns with their hidden mechanism of spatial process, accessibility and connectively in addition to idea of location and distance. Advance level of interaction has produced globalization which has accelerated greater spatial diffusion of idea and material resources in the world. The major role of geography is to ensure harmonious spatial organization and inter relationship between and among societies on one hand and between society and its environment on the other. Thus, this is being pursued in geography through its traditions: Earth science, cultural-environment, the location (space), the areal analysis and various paradigms and spatial techniques. It is therefore recommended that for speedy development in developing nations particularly at combating the myriad of environmental challenges and appropriate exploitation and utilization of environmental resources, the spatial tool should be adopted as contained in the discipline of Geography.
This document discusses positive resource dependency in urban systems. It begins by providing background on the concepts of ecological identity, biophilia, and topophilia. It then introduces the idea of positive dependence, which views resource dependence from an asset-based rather than deficit-based perspective. Two key aspects of positive dependence discussed are restorative topophilia, referring to love of place that fosters action to enhance valued attributes, and urgent biophilia, describing the attraction humans have for nature and the urge to create restorative environments, especially in times of crisis. The document argues that positive dependence based on these concepts can start virtuous cycles that increase resilience in social-ecological systems.
This document discusses the concept of the ecological community and argues that it should be "disintegrated" and viewed as an epiphenomenon rather than an integral unit. The key points are:
1) Local communities are not truly bounded units as the populations that comprise them are integrated over larger spatial scales.
2) Viewing communities as local assemblages hinders understanding of regional processes that generate diversity patterns.
3) Local coexistence can only be understood in the context of species' distributions across entire regions, which are determined by diversification, adaptation, and interactions over large scales.
Can attitudes about animal neglect be diff erentiatedFábio Coltro
This document describes a study that explored whether attitudes about animal neglect can be differentiated from attitudes about animal abuse. 683 college students completed a survey measuring their attitudes toward various treatments of animals. Previous research found the survey measured attitudes about cruelty, utilitarian treatment, and caregiving/neglect of animals. The current study conducted a factor analysis of the cruelty and caregiving/neglect items separately for men and women. Results showed cruelty and neglect can be differentiated for both men and women, but the structure of these attitudes differs between the sexes, with women expressing more discomfort than men with both cruelty and neglect.
Paul Slater has over 21 years of experience in retail customer service and is looking for a new career direction. He has a history of problem solving, multi-tasking, and meeting deadlines and targets. He understands the importance of good customer service. Slater has qualifications in building studies and surveying. His employment history includes various roles in retail management with W.M. Morrison Supermarkets, with increasing responsibility over 21 years, as well as roles as an assistant quantity surveyor and building technician in construction.
El documento presenta un plano de situación del barrio de San Francisco el Grande en Madrid y propone la idea de un barrio residual compuesto por módulos modulares.
This review examines 19 studies that investigated the effects of various pollutants on the reproductive behavior of fish species. Several studies found changes in courtship behaviors like decreases in display frequency or increases in courtship duration. Studies of parental care found effects like decreased nest-building, reduced offspring defense, or changes in how care is divided between sexes. However, few studies measured impacts on reproductive success or population-level effects. The review develops a framework to explore links between pollution and reproductive behavior ecology, and how this could impact populations through life history tradeoffs, genetic changes, and population size.
The document discusses the mental health benefits of urban greenspace based on existing literature and evidence. It examines the commonly cited beliefs that contact with nature in cities can reduce stress and improve well-being. The scientific evidence for these claims comes from a few types of studies: controlled experiments showing benefits of natural views/settings, studies using nature photos/videos to test reactions, surveys of people's experiences and preferences in nature, and analyses of health data related to locations. While some evidence supports the beliefs, the magnitude of nature's effects depends also on lack of stressors in built environments. Overall access to restorative natural areas in cities may produce short and long-term mental and physical health benefits.
Human ecology theory views humans and families as interacting with their environments. It considers these relationships as systems, with families carrying out biological, economic, and social functions for themselves and society. Families and environments are interdependent and influence each other. Families must adapt as they allocate resources to meet individual and family needs while balancing cooperation with demands for autonomy. The goal is survival and improving quality of life while sustaining natural resources.
1. Andrew Light argues that environmental ethics should take a more pragmatic approach and embrace both biocentric and anthropocentric views to engage the public on environmental issues. This will make environmental ethics more accessible and allow environmental philosophers to better persuade people.
2. Ramachandra Guha provides a developing world perspective on environmental ethics, arguing that Western conservation models can harm indigenous communities. Sustainability approaches must consider how local human populations interact with nature.
3. Brian Walker and David Salt introduce resilience thinking, which focuses on systems' ability to withstand disturbances rather than optimization. Considering interconnected social and ecological systems can increase nature's value and support sustainability.
Slide show prepared for a series of lectures on environmentalism for PS 240 Introduction to Political Theory at the University of Kentucky, Fall 2007. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Lecturer.
1) The document describes a glasshouse experiment conducted as part of a master's thesis investigating the limiting similarity hypothesis and its potential application to restoration ecology and invasion resistance.
2) The experiment studied the effects of seed size and density on the establishment of three plant species grown individually and in mixtures.
3) Results are presented for each individual species as well as combined results, with a discussion of how the findings relate to theories of limiting similarity, functional traits, and community assembly rules.
This study aims to examine the associations between urban park usage and mental health benefits. Previous research has shown links between nature exposure, physical activity, and mental health, but this study seeks to remove physical activity as a variable and look directly at different ways parks are used and their impacts on mental health. Data will be collected through surveys of 650 park users and non-users in Hampton Roads, Virginia on topics like nature exposure, facility availability and size, and mental health. The findings could help inform funding and policies to expand access to nature and address mental health disparities in urban areas.
The document discusses the importance of nature connection for human health and well-being. It notes that urbanization and technology use have reduced opportunities for meaningful engagement with nature. Nature connection is defined as a subjective, multi-dimensional sensation of belonging within the natural world. Research presented suggests that spending time in and connecting with nature is associated with benefits like lower stress, better physical health, increased well-being and pro-environmental behavior. The document proposes specific pathways like contact, emotion, meaning and compassion that can strengthen an individual's nature connection. It advocates communicating nature's benefits by framing activities around these pathways and focusing on shared humanity with the natural world.
Greening in the Red Zone - Valuing Community-based Ecological Restoration in ...Keith G. Tidball
Presentation given Oct 17, 2012
CUNY Center for Urban Environmental Reform
CUNY School of Law
2 Court Square
Long Island City, NY
11101
A presentation of the
New York City Urban Field Station
Quarterly Research Seminar Series
A partnership between the
USDA Forest Service
and
New York City Department of
Parks and Recreation
This document summarizes a study that explored how participants in an environmental community project discussed their pro-environmental behaviors and identities. The study used discourse analysis of interviews to examine the social identity positions participants took up. It found that participants negotiated tensions between their green identities and non-green behaviors by drawing on discourses that positioned them positively, such as responsible parents or hygienic mothers. They also distanced themselves from more "extreme" identities like eco-warriors. The study shows how social identities can support sustainable behaviors through "scaffolding" desired actions.
How Does Taking Part in a Community Allotment Group Affect the Everyday Lives, Self Perception and Social Inclusion of Participants
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Ecosystem resilience and community values: Implications to ecosystem-based ad...Noralene Uy
The resilience analysis of ecosystems and mapping of community values and actions attempted in this study provide entry points for an ecosystem-based adaptation strategy which addresses positive and negative factors as well as acts on gaps and opportunities in enhancing climate resilience in Infanta.
Dr. Anna Evely. Looking at conservation projects that engage with volunteersAnnaEvely
what are conservation projects that involve volunteers?
why look at conservation projects that involve volunteers?
choosing methods when crossing disciplines: taking an integrative approach
how might participation be linked to attitudes?
how might participation be linked to social learning?
Dr. Anna Evely. Looking at conservation projects that engage with volunteersAberdeen CES
The document discusses conservation projects that involve volunteers and their importance for sustainability and resilience. It explores how participation may be linked to attitudes and social learning, and emphasizes taking an integrative approach when researching these projects by considering different methods and philosophies. Choosing the appropriate research method requires understanding one's philosophical approach.
1. The document discusses how social scientists are developing models to understand how socio-psychological factors impact environmental policy and issues like waste management.
2. It examines two main theories - attitude theory which looks at how thoughts influence behavior, and behavioral analysis which examines rewards/punishments.
3. A key issue is that the psychological approaches are individualistic, and a more sociological understanding is needed that considers social connections and cooperation in communities.
The Perspective and Association of Geography with Environment and Societypaperpublications3
Abstract: The study examines the relationship of the discipline of Geography with conceptual terms of Environment and society. Geography is seen as a spatial science, majorly concerned with spatial analysis, of how and why things differ from place to place and how observable spatial pattern evolved through time on the surface of the earth. The study adopts a survey of literature as its methodology. It is observable that every society has its individual physical and cultural attributes that distinguishing it from other societies; thus giving it unique character, potential and location. And it is found that in society cultural traits are more pronounced in changing the natural phenomena of the environment. The Environment is better understood when broken to its component: atmosphere, hydrosphere lithosphere and biosphere. Environment has all that is needed to sustain the society and all that is required for life sustenance. It provides the setting with which human action occurs, its shapes but not dictate, how people live in the society as well as their resource base. However, how resources are perceived and utilized is culturally conditioned in society. And virtually every human activity leaves its imprint on the environment. Environment and society form the laboratory for geographic operation. And its spheres form the space which is the major concern in geography and the concept of society introduces the important factor of culture which greatly has direct impact on the environment. The socio-cultural content of the society is influenced by the environment where it locates and the society modifies the content of the environment. There are interconnection between the environment and society which purposely produces spatial patterns with their hidden mechanism of spatial process, accessibility and connectively in addition to idea of location and distance. Advance level of interaction has produced globalization which has accelerated greater spatial diffusion of idea and material resources in the world. The major role of geography is to ensure harmonious spatial organization and inter relationship between and among societies on one hand and between society and its environment on the other. Thus, this is being pursued in geography through its traditions: Earth science, cultural-environment, the location (space), the areal analysis and various paradigms and spatial techniques. It is therefore recommended that for speedy development in developing nations particularly at combating the myriad of environmental challenges and appropriate exploitation and utilization of environmental resources, the spatial tool should be adopted as contained in the discipline of Geography.
This document discusses positive resource dependency in urban systems. It begins by providing background on the concepts of ecological identity, biophilia, and topophilia. It then introduces the idea of positive dependence, which views resource dependence from an asset-based rather than deficit-based perspective. Two key aspects of positive dependence discussed are restorative topophilia, referring to love of place that fosters action to enhance valued attributes, and urgent biophilia, describing the attraction humans have for nature and the urge to create restorative environments, especially in times of crisis. The document argues that positive dependence based on these concepts can start virtuous cycles that increase resilience in social-ecological systems.
This document discusses the concept of the ecological community and argues that it should be "disintegrated" and viewed as an epiphenomenon rather than an integral unit. The key points are:
1) Local communities are not truly bounded units as the populations that comprise them are integrated over larger spatial scales.
2) Viewing communities as local assemblages hinders understanding of regional processes that generate diversity patterns.
3) Local coexistence can only be understood in the context of species' distributions across entire regions, which are determined by diversification, adaptation, and interactions over large scales.
Can attitudes about animal neglect be diff erentiatedFábio Coltro
This document describes a study that explored whether attitudes about animal neglect can be differentiated from attitudes about animal abuse. 683 college students completed a survey measuring their attitudes toward various treatments of animals. Previous research found the survey measured attitudes about cruelty, utilitarian treatment, and caregiving/neglect of animals. The current study conducted a factor analysis of the cruelty and caregiving/neglect items separately for men and women. Results showed cruelty and neglect can be differentiated for both men and women, but the structure of these attitudes differs between the sexes, with women expressing more discomfort than men with both cruelty and neglect.
Paul Slater has over 21 years of experience in retail customer service and is looking for a new career direction. He has a history of problem solving, multi-tasking, and meeting deadlines and targets. He understands the importance of good customer service. Slater has qualifications in building studies and surveying. His employment history includes various roles in retail management with W.M. Morrison Supermarkets, with increasing responsibility over 21 years, as well as roles as an assistant quantity surveyor and building technician in construction.
El documento presenta un plano de situación del barrio de San Francisco el Grande en Madrid y propone la idea de un barrio residual compuesto por módulos modulares.
Music after 1945 saw many changes influenced by new technologies like records and tape recorders. This exposed composers and listeners to a greater variety of music and accelerated the development of new musical concepts. Composers experimented with pitch, timbre, texture and time in unprecedented ways. The fixed and repeatable nature of recordings also altered perceptions of musical performance and composition. Works from this period frequently exploit the new possibilities of recorded sound.
Este documento describe qué es un blog y sus características principales. Un blog es un sitio web que funciona como un diario personal en línea actualizado con frecuencia por su autor. Los blogs presentan contenidos en orden cronológico inverso y permiten comentarios de lectores. Las características clave de un blog incluyen que publica contenidos periódicamente, permite comentarios para crear una comunidad, y mantiene un tono personal. El documento también enumera diferentes tipos de blogs.
This document proposes developing a mobile application to integrate a maternal support system with mobile technology in Uganda. It aims to improve maternal health outcomes at Mengo Hospital by providing healthcare information to mothers via mobile phones. The application will be designed and tested by a team from Bliss Africa Foundation. Literature on existing maternal support systems in various countries is reviewed to inform the design of the new mobile system for Uganda.
The inaugural session of the SKILLS2015 conference focused on realizing and sustaining a Clean India. Over 270 participants from India and other countries gathered to learn, debate, and commit to achieving modern sanitation facilities across India. Speakers emphasized that providing infrastructure alone is not enough - new sanitation practices require developing skills to change behaviors cultivated for centuries. The conference aimed to address this social and cultural challenge through sharing best practices. Generous contributions from organizations and individuals supported conference activities and the ongoing work of achieving a Clean India by 2019.
This document summarizes a study that examined undergraduate students' understanding of climate change. The study administered a survey to students at two East Coast universities to assess their knowledge of climate change science and social issues. It analyzed students' "knowledge scores" on the survey and elements of their "mental models" of climate change based on interview responses. The study found that students frequently confuse climate change with other environmental issues and that a majority do not have an understanding that closely matches the scientific explanation. Environmental group membership was found to be a stronger determinant of climate change knowledge than enrollment in a science major.
This document summarizes a study that used an experience sampling method to collect over 1 million responses from more than 20,000 participants via a smartphone app. The app randomly signaled participants and recorded their self-reported happiness levels along with their GPS location. The researchers then analyzed the relationship between participants' momentary subjective wellbeing and the land cover type at their location. They found that on average, participants reported significantly higher happiness levels when they were outdoors in green or natural habitats compared to urban environments, after controlling for various other factors. This provides new evidence that exposure to nature is positively associated with subjective wellbeing.
Original ArticleNeed for Cognitive Closure andPolitical .docxvannagoforth
Original Article
Need for Cognitive Closure and
Political Ideology
Predicting Pro-Environmental Preferences and Behavior
Angelo Panno,1 Giuseppe Carrus,1 Ambra Brizi,2 Fridanna Maricchiolo,1
Mauro Giacomantonio,2 and Lucia Mannetti2
1Department of Education, Experimental Psychology Laboratory, Roma Tre University, Roma, Italy
2Department of Social & Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Abstract: Little is known about epistemic motivations affecting political ideology when people make environmental decisions. In two studies,
we examined the key role that political ideology played in the relationship between need for cognitive closure (NCC) and self-reported eco-
friendly behavior. Study 1: 279 participants completed the NCC, pro-environmental, and political ideology measures. Mediation analyses
showed that NCC was related to less pro-environmental behavior through more right-wing political ideology. Study 2: We replicated these
results with a nonstudent sample (n = 240) and both social and economic conservatism as mediators. The results of Study 2 showed that
social conservatism mediated the relationship between NCC and pro-environmental behavior. Finally, NCC was associated with pro-
environmental attitude through both social and economic conservatism.
Keywords: need for cognitive closure, political ideology, pro-environmental behavior, environmental attitude, conservatism, cognition
Ecosystems are under pressure worldwide due to global
phenomena and environmental changes such as global
warming, biodiversity loss, depletion of fresh water, and
population growth. Understanding how individuals react
to the environmental crisis and take a position regarding
environmental conservation policies is, therefore, a crucial
challenge for the current political, scientific, and environ-
mental agenda. To tackle the urgency of current environ-
mental global issues adequately, there is widespread
scientific and political consensus that individuals, groups,
and communities must reduce their environmental foot-
print in the very near term (e.g., Brewer & Stern, 2005;
Schultz & Kaiser, 2012). What is needed at the individ-
ual and societal level is, therefore, an increase in ecologi-
cally responsible behavior (e.g., Clayton & Myers, 2015;
Turaga, Howarth, & Borsuk, 2010). Empirical studies on
the antecedents of pro-environmental behavior and climate
change perception have outlined the role of several predic-
tors, including political ideology as well as some proxy of
conservative ideology such as social dominance (e.g.,
Carrus, Panno, & Leone, in press; Hoffarth & Hodson,
2016; Milfont, Richter, Sibley, Wilson, & Fischer, 2013;
Panno et al., 2018). To better understand the relation
between political ideology and environmentalism individ-
ual differences related to epistemic motivation should be
considered. The main aim of the present study is to exam-
ine the relationship between people’s need for cognitive
closure (NCC; ...
A Social Identity Analysis Of Climate Change And Environmental Attitudes And ...Nat Rice
This document discusses how social identity theory can help explain how social contexts and group memberships influence environmental attitudes and behaviors. It reviews literature showing that conceiving of oneself as part of a social group influences environmental views and actions as people assimilate to their group's norms. Intergroup tensions between environmental and business groups for example can hinder policy progress. The authors argue that a social identity approach provides insights and potential solutions, but more empirical research is needed, especially testing social identity-based strategies.
This document discusses research on the relationships between environmentalism, feminism, and gender. It finds:
1) Previous research has not adequately examined the links between these three concepts.
2) A study of 393 college students found relationships between feminism and environmental attitudes, as well as between gender and attitudes toward environmental regulation, were influenced by the relationship between feminism and environmentalism.
3) Tentatively, the findings suggest new directions for studying the connection between feminism and environmentalism known as ecofeminism.
This document discusses a study that examined how demographic factors like age, gender, and ethnicity affect a person's willingness to pay more for environmentally friendly products. The study found that willingness to pay differs across these groups. People who rated concern for waste as highly important were more willing to spend extra on eco-friendly options. The findings suggest developing tailored education strategies could encourage more consumers to purchase sustainable products, thereby creating a healthier environment for current and future generations.
1) The document examines connections between childhood experiences in nature and adult environmentalism. It analyzes survey responses from over 2,000 adults about their childhood nature activities and current environmental attitudes and behaviors.
2) The study uses structural equation modeling to test pathways from childhood participation in wild and domesticated nature to adult environmentalism, while controlling for demographic factors. It finds that experiences like hiking, camping, and gardening as a child correlate with stronger environmental attitudes and behaviors as an adult.
3) Prior research also links childhood time outdoors to later environmental preferences, knowledge, and occupations. However, this study considers long-term influences on a representative population, not just environmental professionals.
An Ecosocial Climax Model Based On Concepts Of Climax Community For Analyzing...Jim Webb
This document discusses developing an "ecosocial climax model" to analyze human communities in literature in order to protect ecosystems. It reviews ecocriticism, ecofeminism, and ecological ethics approaches, and argues that an effective nature-centered approach is "ecosocial criticism" that extends concerns for human relationships and society based on ecological concepts like ecological niches and climax communities. The model is applied to communities in George Eliot's novel Silas Marner to compare their sustainability.
A case study exploring the transition of an individual in educationAbdullah Bismillah
1) The document presents a case study exploring an individual's experience transitioning between schools with different cultural values and the challenges faced. It analyzes an interview with a participant named Ayesha who transitioned from a British public school to a private Muslim boarding school at her mother's insistence.
2) Ayesha struggled to settle in at the new school due to losing her established friendships and community from her old school. She felt like an outsider among students from varied backgrounds. This social disruption negatively impacted her confidence and schoolwork.
3) While her mother hoped the boarding school's cultural alignment would benefit Ayesha, theories of cultural capital and communities of practice better explain her difficulties. Losing her
A Reflective Lens Applying Critical Systems Thinking And Visual Methods To E...Pedro Craggett
This document discusses applying critical systems thinking and visual methods to ecohealth research. It summarizes two case studies - one on coral reef management in the Philippines using participatory modeling, and one on national park management in Australia using rich pictures. The case studies illustrate how visual methods can provide new insights when used within a critical systems framework to address environmental and human health issues across different socio-political contexts. The document argues that combining critical systems methodology with visual research methods allows for a reflective process to engage stakeholders and explore contested issues around shared natural resources.
The Journal of Sociology & Social WelfareVolume 15Issue 2 .docxarnoldmeredith47041
The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare
Volume 15
Issue 2 June
Article 11
May 1988
An Ecological Approach for Social Work Practice
John T. Pardeck
Southeast Missouri State University
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An Ecological Approach
for Social Work Practice
JOHN T. PARDECK
Southeast Missouri State University
Social Work Program
The ecological approach offers a comprehensive theoretical base that
social practitioners can draw upon for effective social treatment. The
critical concepts of the ecological approach are presented. It is sug-
gested that the ecological perspective can be a useful treatment strategy
for improving the social functioning of the client system.
The earliest pioneers in the field of social work such as Ma.
Here are two 300 word essays on environmental pollution:
Essay 1:
Pollution is damaging our planet in many ways. One of the major forms of pollution is air pollution. Air pollution comes from emissions released from factories, vehicles, and other sources that use fossil fuels. These emissions contain harmful gases and small particles that can have negative effects on both the environment and human health.
Some of the main air pollutants are carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. When released into the atmosphere, these pollutants can cause problems like acid rain, global warming, and respiratory illnesses. Acid rain occurs when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water, oxygen,
Philosophical-Critical Environmental Education: a proposal in a search for a ...Miltão Ribeiro
This paper aims to develop a study on environmental education from philosophical and practical bases. Philosophical considerations being established after critical analysis of some philosophical schools who have taken the environment or the Individuals as a matter of primary concern; practical considerations arising from our experience in the university environmental movement. Thus, we intend to express our thinking towards the discussion about critical Environmental Education in a philosophical perspective called philosophical-critical Environmental Education, which aims to seek a harmony, a balance between subject and object, from a philosophical view-point, and as a consequence, between society and environment, from a socio-political perspective, in addressing the socio-environmental issue.
Publication Name: Journal of Social Sciences (COES&RJ-JSS).
Author: M. S. R. Miltão
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Ageism At Work The Impact Of Intergenerational Contact And Organizational Mu...Amy Roman
This article examines how intergenerational contact and an organizational multi-age perspective may help reduce ageism and improve work attitudes. It discusses research showing that high quality intergroup contact and fostering a multicultural perspective can reduce intergroup bias. The article presents two studies that confirm intergenerational contact and organizational multi-age perspective can mitigate ageism and improve work attitudes by promoting workers' dual identity, which is a key mediator. Study 2 replicates these results and also shows the mediating role of perceived procedural justice, while investigating stereotypes more closely related to older workers. The findings shed light on how the social context can help address ageism in the workplace.
Feygina (2013, SJR) Social Justice and the Human-Environment RelationshipIrina Feygina, Ph.D.
This document discusses the common systemic, ideological, and psychological roots of social injustice and environmental destruction. It argues that prevailing social systems espouse ideologies of domination over both other groups and the natural world. This stems from historical developments that established human superiority and justified the exploitation of nature. Maintaining the current hierarchical social and economic order relies on perpetuating these ideologies and motivating denial of environmental problems. Both social injustice and environmental neglect are exacerbated by psychological tendencies like social dominance orientation that uphold the status quo. The shared roots and perpetuating factors point to the need to address these issues through related interventions.
Analysis of editorial discourse on environmental challenges in nigerian newsp...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that analyzed editorial discourse in Nigerian newspapers regarding the 2012 flooding in Nigeria. The study examined how editorials attributed sources, assigned responsibility, advocated for behavior change, and proposed solutions in their coverage of the flooding issue. It reviewed literature on editorial discourse strategies and analyzed a sample of editorials from four Nigerian newspapers. The study found that editorials largely used expert sources for attribution and advocated for systemic, policy-based solutions. The document provides background on flooding in Nigeria and the role of editorials in influencing public policy debates.
The document discusses several studies on the causes and consequences of bullying and approaches to addressing it. It finds that bullying is more likely when children have certain risk factors or experience peer rejection. Long term bullying can lead to lower academic achievement, depression, and even suicide. Several studies suggest screening children who bully for psychological problems and addressing issues like low social support. Recent legislation has aimed to prevent bullying but more may need to be done to involve public health efforts. One evaluation found that anti-bullying programs for teachers could help if they improve school climate and teachers' ability to intervene in bullying situations.
(DOC) Year Round School Persuasive Essay | eddi fabio - Academia.edu. How to write a persuasive essay — Literacy Ideas. Paired Text Passages | Opinion Writing for Back to School Printable and .... 013 Good Persuasive Essay Topics Example ~ Thatsnotus. 018 Persuasive Essay Examples Free High School Poemsrom Co Template For .... persuasive writing examplars for kids - Google Search | Persuasive .... ⇉Year round school persuasive Essay Example | GraduateWay. 31 Persuasive Essay Topics • JournalBuddies.com. Example of persuasive essay on year round school.
This document discusses age and its impact on second language acquisition. It presents evidence that children have advantages in learning a second language due to neurological, phonological and affective factors supported by the Critical Period Hypothesis. However, cognitive theories illustrate advantages adult learners have with certain learning strategies. The document also discusses two language teaching methods inspired by children's first language acquisition - Total Physical Response and Natural Approach. Overall, it asserts that considering the evidence, children generally surpass adults in second language acquisition ability.
Similar to Significant Life Experiences publication (20)
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Significant life experiences and
environmental justice: positionality
and the significance of negative social/
environmental experiences
Donovon Ceaser
a
a
Sociology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Published online: 27 May 2014.
To cite this article: Donovon Ceaser (2014): Significant life experiences and environmental justice:
positionality and the significance of negative social/environmental experiences, Environmental
Education Research, DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2014.910496
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3. In the interest of advancing such theory, in this paper I use textual analysis to
examine the SLEs within the Environmental Justice (EJ) literature. The EJ movement
is centered on minority and low-income people resisting negative environmental
experiences and fighting for equal access to nature and healthy spaces (Bullard
1994a, 1994b; Di Chiro 1996, 2006), precisely the groups of people that scholars like
A Gough (1999b, 386) argue ‘would tell very different stories of [SLEs].’ Pulido
(1996, 29) suggests these stories are different because for marginalized communities,
‘their point of entry into environmental concerns is usually framed by inequality …
in intimate ways.’ To theoretically conceptualize the relationship between SLEs and
inequality, I blend feminist theory and the sociology of disasters (in essence, the soci-
ology of negative environmental experiences) to advance the notion of social/environ-
mental positionality, defined as the mutually constitutive, intersecting, and
reinforcing social/environmental relationship produced by the combination of one’s
subjective experience and social hierarchy (Collins 1991; hooks 1984; Ioris 2011;
Pulido and Pena 1998). It is one’s marginalized social/environmental position that
leads EJ activists to rearticulate environmental knowledge from their embodied
social/historical perspective as a tactic for counteracting dominant institutions (Pulido
1996; Turner and Pei-Wu 2002). Findings reveal that EJ activists describe the experi-
ence of EJ as three SLEs: the recognition of their social/environmental marginality,
the embodied knowledge produced from their experiences, and the empowerment
experienced by working within an EJ community under notions of inclusion and
justice. These results are compared to more traditional SLEs and I conclude with a
discussion about the importance of positionality and negative experiences for SLE
research.
SLEs and positionality
SLEs are important phenomenological moments that may change one’s life trajectory
toward environmental activism (Chawla 1998a, 1998b; Hsu 2009). However, feminist
theorists argue that these experiences are intricately connected to the social, cultural,
and historical positions from which a person or group constructs their understanding
of the world (Fuss 1989). As such, these ‘subject-positions’ (Spivak 1986, 1988)
demonstrate both the subjective nature of social constructionism and the impact of
dominant structural forces that situate people’s ontological positions (Alcoff 1994;
Foucault 1978; Payne 1999). The examination of these two factors is what is known
as one’s positionality. Combining this knowledge of social positionality with the
understanding that we construct our identity in relation to specific environments
(Gruenwald 2003; Kudryavtsev, Stedman, and Krasny 2012), social/environmental
positionality becomes a useful term that links the socially constructed way we
perceive the environment (Greider and Garkovich 1994) with a focus on the structural
reproduction of inequality (Cole 2007; Fien 1999; Gough and Robottom 1993),
allowing us to see how embodied social/environmental experiences produce different
notions of the environment and environmentalism (Di Chiro 1996; Harvey 1996,
283; Ioris 2011; Payne 1997, 2006; Pulido and Pena 1998). For example, Pulido and
Pena (1998) examined how farming with pesticides in California led mainstream
environmental groups to focus on wildlife protection and organize in a way that did
not challenge the status quo, but the primary focus for Chicano/Latino farmworkers
was on their personal health and safety which led to organizing a political campaign
2 D. Ceaser
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4. directly against farm owners for greater workers’ rights. Thus, one’s embodied social/
environmental positionality can lead to radically different SLEs.
To understand the positionality of EJ communities and their particular SLEs, we
can use the sociology of disaster literature and known EJ motives for activism to
examine the experience of technological disasters (i.e. disasters resulting from
human causes) on residents. These residents undergo a type of cultural trauma
whereby their relationship to the land moves from a pre-disaster stage of relative
unawareness to a highly salient state of anxiety and uncertainty after a health hazard
is perceived (Edelstein 2004; Erikson (1976/2012), 1994, 1995). After such an
event, residents often assign blame based on previous history of cultural trauma such
as racism for African-Americans, classism for white blue-collar workers, and loss of
sovereignty for Native Americans (Alexander 2004; Edelstein 2004; Entrikin 2007;
Erikson 1994), elements which link residents together through notions of a common
fate (Glazer and Glazer 1999). Dominant institutions then foster a ‘corrosive com-
munity’ climate by focusing on protecting their own interests than that of residents’
(Freudenburg 1997; Freudenburg and Jones 1991). Receiving no support and refus-
ing to be passive victims, these residents organize within their own community to
create ‘alternative networks of power’ which maintain a ‘tenacious dedication’
toward notions of democracy (Freudenberg and Steinsapir 1991; Glazer and Glazer
1999, 280; Turner and Pei-Wu 2002). In particular, women often lead the activism
in these groups because they shoulder a greater social responsibility for engaging
with their children and community and because men are often reluctant to engage in
activism that will threaten their jobs with local industry (David and Enarson 2012;
Edelstein 2004; Kroll-Smith and Couch 1990).
While marginalized groups are regularly the recipients of technological disasters
and corrosive community, the discipline’s theoretical concepts have not yet fully
acknowledged that social disadvantages and environmental disadvantages are
directly intertwined. Feminist and critical environmental theorists have argued that
the ‘non-functional’ relationship with nature these groups have is merely one com-
ponent of the multiple, intersecting, and mutually constitutive forms of oppression
that disadvantaged groups face (Collins 1991; Di Chiro 1996, 314; hooks 1984,
2009, 8), which overall is reflective of one’s social/environmental positionality
(Haraway 1991; Harvey 1996). To orientate the elements of the ‘corrosive commu-
nity’ toward issues related to positionality and experience, I focus specifically on
‘toxic social/environmental relationships.’ This term elucidates the interconnected-
ness between compounded forms of social oppression and living in an extremely
unhealthy environment (Alaimo 2010; Kroll-Smith, Brown, and Gunter 2000),
allowing us to better see the connections between disadvantaged groups and their
negative environmental experiences.
Finally, we must specifically understand how the experience of toxic relation-
ships translates into a motivation for activism. Feminist scholars argue that the lived,
embodied experience of marginality leads some residents to position themselves
opposite to dominant social forces, using their shared feelings of anxiety and anger
as a site of knowledge production and community building, creating an ‘outsider’
source of power that promotes different ways of seeing, theorizing, and making
space for transformation (A. Gough 1999a; Di Chiro 1996; Haraway 1991; hooks
1990; Krauss 1993; Lorde 1984). It is this community ‘expertise’ which forces us to
rethink the traditional power dynamic between citizen and expert (Alaimo 2010;
Kroll-Smith, Brown, and Gunter 2000), and which has succeeded in rearticulating
Environmental Education Research 3
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5. ‘the environment’ as the spaces where we ‘live, work, and play’ (Novotny 2000;
Pulido 1996; Turner and Pei-Wu 2002), offering new ways of generating greater
environmental activism and addressing social injustice. This process demonstrates
that experiencing ‘habitat alteration’ contains important ontological positions related
to people’s social/environmental norms which may be extremely important for invig-
orating meaningful environmental activism (Berilla 2006a; Di Chiro 1996; N Gough
1999; Tanner 1998a), making an inquiry into the SLEs of the EJ movement an
important topic for SLE research.
Methods and data
This paper contains a systemic review of identity descriptions within the EJ litera-
ture to identify SLEs. Identity descriptions are direct quotes by individuals contain-
ing information that relates to how they view themselves, their life events, and their
relationships with others and the environment. They also include statements within
this material that describe a significant motivation for activism, using words such as
‘significant,’ ‘important,’ or ‘main.’ These descriptions are fitting for a study
addressing positionality because they contain both subjective personal material about
how people conceptualize their lives and (because of the focus on activism and cor-
responding power dynamics) material about social and structural inequality. While
most SLE research is conducted using interviews and not textual analysis of aca-
demic literature, these descriptions capture the important or memorable experiences
and generalized regular occurrences that are typical of SLE investigations (Chawla
1998b; Payne 1997). Using Wilson Web, which was chosen because of the breadth
of information available, a keyword search using ‘environmental justice’ was
performed which yielded over 350,000 entries. Search was restricted to ‘social
science abstracts’ (259 entries) which were then read thoroughly for identity
descriptions. Articles without such information were removed. This process yielded
26 articles, qualitative in nature, that span 13 years of research and were used for
analysis (Allen and Gough 2006; Anglin 1998; Beamish and Luebbers 2009; Bell
and Braun 2010; Brown et al. 2003; Carruthers 2007; Chambers 2007; Chari 2008;
Checker 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007; Cocola 2007; Fan 2006; Gaarder 2011b; Halfacre,
Hurley, and Grabbatin 2010; Hayes 2006; Johnson and Niemeyer 2008; Macias
2008; Morrison 2009; Nagel 2005; Norgaard 2007; Prindeville and Bretting 1998;
Pulido and Pena 1998; Routledge, Nativel and Cumbers 2006; Schlosberg 1999).
Analysis was guided by qualitative open and focused coding procedures
(Esterburg 2002). An initial open-ended coding procedure was done in Microsoft
Outlook. Identity and SLE descriptions were read and coded by significant themes
such as ‘fear,’ ‘conflict with business,’ and ‘embodied risk’ and by any mention of
the word ‘significant’ or similar word. Similar codes and corresponding content were
grouped together. Examples of these codes are ‘conflict between (white middle class
environmentalists or business interests, or white middle class culture and aesthetics)
and EJ,’ ‘negative emotions (distrust, disrespect, fear, helplessness, guilt),’ and
‘toxic relationship with the land (disconnected, tied to work, problems ignored),’
and ‘SLE.’ Next, these categories were rearranged so that the particular story of EJ
activists would emerge from the data. Finally, an axial coding procedure was
conducted where a combination of inductive and deductive thinking was used to
compare the three traditional SLEs (experience in wild nature, important person or
4 D. Ceaser
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6. book, and habitat alteration) to these categories. Categories were then condensed
into three significant findings. This process grounds the SLE’s revealed here within
a larger understanding of the positionality of EJ activists, their motivations for activ-
ism, and previous SLE research.
While this procedure was successful at capturing important SLEs within the EJ
literature, it should be noted that there are limitations to this study. Engaging in
textual analysis instead of interviews with current activists potentially limits the
range of what may be discussed as a SLE. This is also true regarding my decision to
restrict the search to academic journals instead of longer works (e.g. books) or
nonacademic material (e.g. newspapers, magazines) which may contain larger
amounts of descriptive material. One clear limitation is the lack of significant leaders
described as a SLE in this material. Finally, the material used in this study span the
history of the EJ movement. As such, it’s definitions of EJ may be skewed toward its
older, more US-centric notions instead of its current global focus. Nonetheless, the
findings below should be seen as an important step toward addressing positionality
and SLEs.
Findings
I tell the students
of sidewalks and factory-centered
towns
of the poison produced and distributed
by their white fathers
through the rivers
and waters[,]
of the poison their babies
will suck through the breasts
of their mothers. (Young Bear 1980, in Cocola 2007, 56)
This poem expresses the experience of environmental injustice, or what could be
better called the toxic relationships of social/environmental marginality. From his
position as a Native American, Young Bear can see how race, class, gender, and
power are intertwined and result in ‘poisoning’ the social/environmental relation-
ships of disadvantaged groups. This experience is a significant part of how EJ resi-
dents describe their path to activism. EJ activists describe the experience of EJ as
three SLEs: (1) the recognition of their social/environmental marginality, (2) the
embodied knowledge produced from their experiences, and (3) being empowered by
building community with others who embrace notions of inclusion in the production
of lasting changes for future generations.
Environmental Education Research 5
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7. Recognizing social/environmental marginality
Pre-disaster unawareness and positionality
They are just so tired of being beaten up with all the problems they had, with violence,
with guns, with drugs, they really did not care about an incinerator. They would not
take notice of it. We had to bring it to their attention. (African American female activ-
ist, CAFE (Community Alliance for the Environment), Brooklyn, New York. (in
Checker 2001, 139))
EJ activists are cited as being in a state of relative unawareness about their environ-
ment prior to a significant disaster (Edelstein 2004). However, as the quote above
demonstrates, pre-disaster unawareness itself is strongly situated by racial, gendered,
and economic constraints. Residents of other lower income African-American com-
munities such as Hyde Park, Georgia said they ‘hadn’t paid it [the environment] that
much attention’ or did not bother to investigate even when grease from a nearby
junkyard covered their yards with oil and their ‘water was so stinking they couldn’t
take a bath in it’ (Annie Wilson, in Checker 2005, 14–15). Appalachian anti-coal
mining activist Maria Lambert, like most mothers and wives, occupies her time
addressing the needs of her community, not the environment (David and Enarson
2012; Edelstein 2004). She describes a ‘need to protect, that … 99.9 % of the
women have’ (in Bell and Braun 2010, 804) that minimizes women’s focus on envi-
ronmental issues (Checker 2004). Men are willing to ignore environmental issues
because their jobs and corresponding sense of masculinity are connected to local
area industry (Kroll-Smith and Couch 1990). Anti-coal-mining activist Bill Price
explains that, ‘Men were the coal miners, so it’s a little harder for them to let go of
that sense of, you know, this is how I put cornbread on the table’ (Bell and Braun
2010, 806). Thus, for reasons pertaining to residents’ positionality, they are willing
to ignore environmental harm.
Significant disaster and toxic relationships
EJ activists often describe a moment occurring during a significant disaster event
when they went from unawareness to the recognition of their environmental prob-
lems. Since a disaster is both social and environmental, this can include events such
as one’s child contracting leukemia (Checker 2001, 139), the spraying of pesticides
on one’s natural habitat (Norgaard 2007), a ban on a traditional foodstuff that signif-
icantly curtails a community’s economic practices (Allen and Gough 2006; Fan
2006), or a natural disaster such as a flood (albeit brought about by technological
means). In a disaster, environmental problems construct and/or reinforce social/psy-
chological concerns, creating interlocking toxic social/environmental relationships
which motivate people to acknowledge reality in new ways. This is what makes a
disaster significant. For example, in 2003 in West Virginia, mountaintop removal
coal mining resulted in five acres of anti-mining activist Maria Gunnoe’s land being
washed away during a flood in one night, exposing her and her children to psycho-
logical trauma:
It was a night that I will never forget. If I live to be a hundred … I literally thought we
were gonna die in this house. There is tremendous fear when it rains … my daughter
went through a, hey, I feel safe in calling it a posttraumatic stress disorder … if it was
raining or thundering, … my daughter would not sleep. And I, I didn’t notice this to
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8. begin with … I was so overwhelmed … I never even thought, ‘What’s this putting my
kids through?’ Until one morning [at 3 AM] … it was thundering and lightning, and I
go in, and I find her sitting [fully clothed] on the edge of her bed … [Pauses, deep
breath, voice cracks] And I found out then [pauses] what it was putting my daughter
through. [Crying] And that is what pissed me off … (italics orig., in Bell and Braun
2010, 803)
Through increasingly dysfunctional social relationships, EJ residents come to accept
their ‘non-functional’ relationship with nature (Di Chiro 1996). Residents use the
negative experiences from their toxic relationships or ‘altered relationship to nature’
to acknowledge the reality of their situation (Anglin 1998, 187–188; Checker 2005;
Erikson 1995, 186; Norgaard 2007, 467).
Marginality and motives for activism
… and I found out then [pauses] what it was putting my daughter through. [Crying]
And that is what pissed me off. How dare they steal that from my child! The security
of being able to sleep in her own bed. The coal companies now own that … [Pauses]
And how can they expect me as a mother to look over that? … All I wanted to do was
to be a mother … in order for me to be a mother, and in order for me to keep my chil-
dren safe, … I’ve had – it’s not an option – I’ve had to stand up and fight for our
rights. (Anti-mining activist Maria Gunnoe, in Bell and Braun 2010, 803–4)
It is already well known that residents use their positionality to place blame on dom-
inant institutions for the causes of the significant disaster (Alexander 2004; Erikson
1994; Entrikin 2007). Ethnic minorities linked current environmental damage to rac-
ism and historical cultural trauma, using explicitly deadly terms such as ‘genocide’
or ‘systemic poisoning’ to refer to the treatment of their communities by dominant
institutions (Checker 2005, 24; Norgaard 2007, 468; Prindeville and Bretting 1998,
51; Pulido and Pena 1998, 41). Men such as Appalachian grandfather Ed Wiley
came to realize that the work they spent their life engaging in, while providing
income, is also ‘setting up something that could kill my granddaughter and all them
little kids and possibly the community … That hurt me … that was the wake-up call
right there.’ (Bell and Braun 2010, 809). Maria Gunnoe, quoted above, used her
gendered obligations as a mother and wife to her community to locate blame on
dominant institutions. While linking current dominant institutions to historical cul-
tural trauma or a deliberate attempt to kill children or rob them of security is argu-
able, what is clear is that blaming through one’s positionality has two important
effects. First, by sourcing the cause of one’s disadvantages onto powerful groups,
these residents have moved beyond a simple acknowledgment of their environmental
problems into conscious recognition of their social/environmental marginalization.
This rationale links residents together through notions of a shared fate, an important
motivation for EJ activism (Freudenberg and Steinsapir 1991; Glazer and Glazer
1999). Secondly, by realizing one’s marginal stance opposite to dominant forces, res-
idents’ feelings of anxiety and anger are transformed into an emotional ‘call to arms’
to address their situation. This combination of marginalization and ‘tenacious dedi-
cation’ is emblematically uttered as some form of ‘If I don’t fight, who else will?’
making the recognition of one’s social/environmental marginalization a SLE that
reorients people toward environmental activism (Anglin 1998; Beamish and
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9. Luebbers 2009; Bell and Braun 2010; Brown et al. 2003; Carruthers 2007; Glazer
and Glazer 1999, 280).
Embodied positionality/perspectives
Within the SLE literature, important people, books, or ideas are listed as the second
most common source (Chawla 1998a). While there are many notable leaders in the
EJ movement, in the articles used for this analysis, only three significant figures
were mentioned: Dr Mitchell of the Hartford Environmental Justice Network
(HEJN) in Connecticut (Chambers 2007), Charles Lee, author of the ‘Toxic Wastes
and Race’ report which brought EJ to the attention of the US government in the late
1980s (Morrison 2009), and Wangari Maathai, creator of the Green Belt Movement
in Kenya and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner (Nagel 2005). However, instead of cit-
ing a significant leader, most EJ activists describe learning experiences that emerge
from their everyday embodied experiences with social/environmental marginaliza-
tion and their emerging activist work, making it the second most commonly listed
SLE. These experiences count as an ‘alternative network of power’ (Glazer and
Glazer 1999, 280) or a source of knowledge which EJ activists use to teach other
residents to challenge the power structure and rearticulate ideas from their own
perspective.
Embodied disrespect
[We asked] What are you all talking about? All these diseases? What diseases are they?
[The BUMC official] was like, ‘Well, it seems like you all don’t know nothing, so
we’re not going to even bother (with) you’ … He’s really calling us, like dumb …
‘Unaccomplished,’ that’s what he said, some kind of word … basically he didn’t listen
to us. So we went downstairs and … said, ‘We are going to learn everything about
what they’re talking about; we’re going to investigate, we’re going to take classes,
we’re gonna do this and we’re going to tell everybody and their mama about this’ …
So that’s how we started. (REJG, female, community activist, in Beamish and
Luebbers 2009, 658)
It is well known that community activists from technological disasters face a diffi-
cult time accessing resources from dominant institutions that are keener to protect
their own interests than ensure the well-being of residents, an important element of
‘corrosive community’ and another example of a toxic social/environmental relation-
ship (Freudenburg 1997; Freudenburg and Jones 1991). The EJ literature is replete
with similar examples of negative experiences with authority (Anglin 1998; Allen
and Gough 2006; Beamish and Luebbers 2009; Carruthers 2007; Chari 2008;
Checker 2001, 2005; Fan 2006; Macias 2008; Norgaard 2007), which includes
groups strongly connected to white privilege and its constructions of nature such as
mainstream environmentalists and progressives (Anglin 1998; Beamish and
Luebbers 2009). Since many EJ struggles center on health, EJ activists often
describe negative experiences with the medical/scientific establishment as a SLE that
galvanized them to action (Checker 2001, 140). Since toxic relationships motivate
people to see things in new ways, the direct experience of being disrespected serves
as an embodied reminder of their marginalized position. Once residents have chosen
to fight back, this attitude from dominant groups galvanizes them to action instead
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10. of acting as a deterrent. The excerpt above describes the treatment of EJ residents
by officials of the Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC) over the siting of a
National Biocontaiment Laboratory. These residents consider this significant experi-
ence a ‘coalition legend’ that led to the creation of the Roxbury Environmental
Justice Group (REJG).
Embodied definitions
Being disconnected from official sources of knowledge, these residents legitimate
themselves using their experience of living in a ‘risk perception shadow’ (Edelstein
2004) as a site for developing counter-knowledge to challenge official narratives.
For example, residents gather data from their experiences observing cancer rates
develop among loved ones or birth defects in their children, a method which vali-
dates local community knowledge by redefining statistical information into human
terms of lives lost, years of worry, and the need for immediate action (Anglin 1998;
Norgaard 2007). Residents also create new terms for themselves which combine sci-
entific and everyday roles such as ‘street scientists’ or ‘popular epidemiologists’
(Alaimo 2010, 62). Similarly, EJ activists also redefine the term ‘victim’ from their
positionality to acknowledge the larger social forces that have put them in their con-
dition either as collective ‘victims of environmental discrimination’ (Checker 2001,
143), or as ‘victims of a social crime … the crime of poisoning our environment’
(Anglin 1998, 189), galvanizing others to fight environmental injustice (Glazer and
Glazer 1999). This perspective also leads EJ activists to redefine environmentalism.
Since environmentalism is often associated with dominant norms, some EJ activists
avoid the term (Prindeville and Bretting 1998) or augment it in some way that reso-
nates with their everyday issues, as this student who is a part of an environmental
project organized by ACE (Alternatives for Community and Environment) in
Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood describes:
There are things in my environment that truly outrage me. The fact that people have to
wait hours for dirty diesel MBTA buses … that someone I know is being evicted from
their home because they can’t pay their rent, and the fact that a small child I see every
day has died of asthma in a community where asthma rates are 6 times the state aver-
age. These things should not be happening where I live or where anyone lives … So
what is environmental justice is a hard question but I know what it is to me. It is
allowing everyone the right to have the best life has to offer from affordable housing
to safe neighborhoods and clean air. (in Brown et al. 2003, 460)
This is how the environment becomes redefined as the everyday spaces where peo-
ple ‘live, work, and play’ (Novotny 2000; Pulido 1996). It is this social/environmen-
tal counter-knowledge which has produced terms such as ‘environmental racism’
and ‘environmental injustice;’ terms which empower residents by ‘give[ing] what
we feel a name’ (Carruthers 2007, 409).
Empowerment and community
Instead of trying to walk, talk, and look the same we should celebrate how different
cultures, ways of acting and approaches to fighting the issues have involve many more
people in our struggle and bought about change … This diversity of people and cul-
tures also keeps those in power form knowing what to expect and from controlling us.
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11. We should embrace our diversity as it is one of our most powerful tools. (CCHW
1993, 31, in Schlosberg 1999, 134–5)
Finally, the third most cited SLE in the EJ literature is that of being empowered by
working with others to build community, creating ‘alternative networks of power’
for mutual change (Di Chiro 1996, 310; Edelstein 2004; Glazer and Glazer 1999,
280). Being linked through shared notions of injustice, these groups adopt counter-
positions of inclusion such as a focus on democracy and diversity as well as a com-
mitment to honesty and building leadership, stances which offer innovative ways to
engage in action and resist marginalization (Nagel 2005; Norgaard 2007). Checker
(2004, 188–9) describes ‘most importantly’ the care AANEJ leaders took to vocalize
everyone’s opinion at meetings. One leader, Deborah Horne, remarked: ‘You know
what? We’re all coming from the same place. We argue loudly and it might seem
like things get pretty ugly sometimes but that’s just the way we are … that’s what
democracy is all about’. Within this environment, residents maintain a commitment
to honesty so that the future of their movement will be more cohesive (Anglin 1998,
201). Finally, EJ groups focus on leadership development so that in the future their
community will not be as marginalized as before, as Dr Mitchell, president of HEJN
explains:
Leadership development is something you really have to do in low-income communi-
ties. And it pays off. It’s amazing to see what these folks do once they’re empowered.
They start going back to school, they start getting better jobs, doing things to continue
to develop themselves and their children. (in Chambers 2007, 47)
Discussion
The findings above demonstrate the importance of understanding positionality in
relation to SLEs. EJ activists conceptualize environmentalism through their position
of social disadvantage. This allows them to engage in an environmental activism
that embraces their negative social and environmental experiences and grounds their
work in notions of social justice, community, and empowerment. These findings cor-
relate well with research on EJ motivations for activism (Freudenberg and Steinsapir
1991; Glazer and Glazer 1999). However, as expected this information contrasts
somewhat with other SLE research findings (Chawla 1998a). In particular, the role
of ‘habitat alteration,’ or negative experiences, has been greatly expanded while
positive experiences, especially experiences of wild nature, have been reduced. This
change appears to be reflective of the differences in privilege, and corresponding
environmental experiences, between more traditional or mainstream environmental
activism and EJ (A. Gough 1999b; N. Gough 1999). Finally, while most SLE
research involves activists reaching back to their pre-activism stage (Chawla 1999;
Tanner 1980), the SLEs of EJ activists are highly connected to their current activ-
ism, translating current experiences into significance that is meant to address an
immediate problem (Glazer and Glazer 1999; Warren 1996). This provides SLE
research with a contemporary example to examine, in their efforts to produce greater
environmental action (A. Gough 1999b).
Comparing these results to traditional SLEs, we can see that there are three main
categories of SLE sources: experiences with nature, sources of environmental
knowledge, and ‘counter-experiences’ or experiences that are meaningful but run
counter to what one would assume from one’s positionality. Using situational
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12. analysis Clarke (2005, xxxiii), a method which ‘enhances our capacities to do inci-
sive studies of difference of perspective, of highly complex situation of action and
positionality …,’ we can construct a positional map which indicates the valence and
difference of both traditional and EJ SLE’s for each of these three categories
(Figure 1). Thus, for people of social/environmental privilege, wild nature and books
or teachers are accessible nature experiences and knowledge sources, respectively,
while habitat destruction is a significant experience which runs counter to these pre-
vailing themes. In contrast, for marginalized people, the disasters which construct
social/environmental marginality and the embodied learning derived from that expe-
rience are their accessible nature experiences and knowledge sources, respectively,
while empowerment is a significant counter-experience. Counter-experiences illumi-
nate the larger situation around which our social/environmental position is located,
giving privileged groups a negative experience as a third listed SLE and disadvan-
taged groups a positive experience. While this map and corresponding discussion
appears to place these SLEs into two dichotomous categories, it is important to
understand that issues of privilege/disadvantage are best seen as occurring along a
continuum. However, given the paucity of research involving SLEs and disadvan-
taged groups, this discussion demonstrates just how much more research is needed
to give a more nuanced view of how positionality affects one’s social/environmental
experiences and the knowledge produced or available in relation to them.
This research demonstrates the merits of a more sociological approach to SLE
research. The experiences of EJ activists, indeed of all environmental activists, are
strongly connected to the social/environmental contexts in which they live. By con-
textualizing the meaning of ‘habitat alteration’ this research has demonstrated how
the experience of a destroyed environment must also have a social correlate. For the
EJ activists in this study, it is the negative experiences, difficult emotions, and sense
of injustice attached to one social/environmental position that makes ‘habitat alter-
ation’ an issue of toxic relationships that affect one’s environmental norms and per-
sonal sense of justice, leading disadvantaged residents to engage in activism (Anglin
1998; James and McAvoy 1992; Pulido 1996). Secondly, this research demonstrates
the complex nature of how embodied experiences are socially, environmentally, and
historically constructed and interpreted. While a particular social/environmental
problem may have its own structural-historical explanation, researchers must be
attuned to the interplay of environment, society, and history when understanding
why certain people and groups develop their SLEs.
+++
(Traditional SLEs) Experiences with
Wild Nature
People or Book Habitat Alteration
(-)
Soc./Env.
Privilege
and SLEs
---
(EJ SLEs)
Experiencing Soc./Env.
Marginality
Embodied
Positionality
Empowerment
(+)
Experience with
Nature
Sources of
Knowledge
Counter-
experiences
Figure 1. Positional map of SLE positionality and SLE categories.
Environmental Education Research 11
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13. Conclusion
Like other SLE research, this paper aims to provide translatable teaching experi-
ences to induce greater environmental activism (Chawla 1999; Tanner 1980).
Toward this aim, this research has shown that SLE research would benefit greatly
from enlarging discussions of positionality and marginalization while discussing sig-
nificant experiences. By giving greater focus to the contexts, situations, and posi-
tions that subjects are placed in, we can obtain a greater number of different kinds
of experiences as well as a larger understanding of why such experiences are consid-
ered significant (A. Gough 1999b; Payne 1999).
Additionally, as an analysis of academic literature this study is by no means
exhaustive of the potential SLEs of the EJ movement. This work is meant to inspire
future empirical studies that can re-examine this study’s findings and apply its theory
and sociological orientation to other groups and more international, current defini-
tions of EJ. For one, the data for this study lacked a number of significant EJ lead-
ers, minimizing the highly influential role these members have had in spearheading
what we now conceive of as EJ. Future research can address this gap, as well as
more specifically outline SLEs within the different EJ groups analyzed here or
investigate other SLEs not currently captured. This can be done through primary
data such as interviews with current EJ activists or by examining more descriptive
secondary sources. Particularly since social/environmental issues are grounded in the
particular history of an area, this study’s findings are meant to be a useful guide for
analyzing a particular struggle, but cannot fully capture any one EJ struggles.
Nonetheless, such work would prove useful in verifying and extending this study’s
main concepts.
In particular, SLE researchers must be more sensitive to significance of negative
environmental experiences, how such experiences mirror social advantages or disad-
vantages, and how people translate meaning from their embodied experiences. How
such experiences are translated by various groups and social locations into EJ
causes, even how EJ itself is defined, may contain many important nuances when
examined locally, nationally, and internationally. A more sociological understanding
of emotions and experiences is crucial for connecting personal experiences to one’s
decision to become an activist. By developing a deeper understanding of the rela-
tionship between social justice and environmental interpretation, environmental edu-
cators can better use pedagogical tools such as SLE research to aid in the growth of
proenvironmental activism (Warren 1996). As the EJ movement demonstrates, expe-
riences such as these can be quite potent tools for encouraging an environmental
activism that can address issues of social justice (Di Chiro 1996; Shellenburger and
Nordhaus 2004).
Notes on contributor
Donovon Ceaser is currently a visiting assistant professor at the University of Central
Arkansas. His research interests include environmental sociology, feminist theory, and critical
pedagogy.
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