The Limits of Civic Environmentalism

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3757136
AutoresTroy D Abel (0000-0003-0754-2024, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville), Mark Stephan (Georgetown University)
Año2000
Volumen44
Número4
Páginas614-628
Fecha de publicación2000-12-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Behavioral Scientist (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0002-7642 • E-ISSN: 1552-3381
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/00027640021956413
OpenAlexW1964967748
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas18
Referencias citadas20

Two key components of civic environmentalism are the devolution of policy control of environmental policy from the federal government to states and localities and the increase of local citizen participation in policy decision making. Using a combination of case studies and interviews, the authors suggest that devolution of policy making and policy implementation may not increase the role of citizens. Rather, due to both the participatory mechanisms used and the larger trends in political participation in democratic societies, citizen involvement may be limited in significant ways. Although evidence is found that citizens can and do influence policy under certain circumstances, there is also cautionary evidence to suggest that this influence is not widespread and does not include representative samples of local communities. The authors conclude that for civic environmentalism to be truly civic, barriers to participation must be acknowledged and overcome

Citizen journalism · Democracy · Devolution (biology) · Economics · Environmental policy · Environmental resource management · Environmentalism · Government (linguistics) · Local government · Political science · Politics · Public policy · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Environmental Justice and Health Disparities · Law · Policy Transfer and Learning · Public Administration