Assessing Environmental Inequality

How the Conclusions We Draw Vary According to the Definitions We Employ

Bibliographic Data

ID2155773
AuthorsL Downey (0000-0002-4549-3190, University of Colorado Boulder, corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume25
Issue3
Pages349-369
Publication date2005-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Spectrum (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0273-2173 • E-ISSN: 1521-0707
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/027321790518870
PMID21874079
PMCIDPMC3162366
OpenAlexW2063180580
LanguageEN
Citations received27
References cited46

This article demonstrates that the conclusions environmental inequality researchers draw vary according to the definitions of environmental inequality they employ and that researchers can use a single set of results to test for the existence of multiple forms of environmental inequality. In order to illustrate these points, I set forth five definitions of environmental inequality, list the kinds of evidence we must obtain in order to determine whether each form of environmental inequality exists, and show how conclusions drawn from several recent environmental inequality studies vary depending on the definition of environmental inequality we employ. My goal is not to show that any one definition is superior to the others; nor am I trying to generalize from the studies reported here to a broader set of research findings. Instead, my goal is to a) show that we can use a single set of results to address a variety of environmental justice concerns and b) demonstrate that our interpretations of environmental inequality research have been too narrowly focused on one set of environmental inequality outcomes

Econometrics · Economics · Environmental justice · Inequality · Political science · Computer Science · Environmental Justice and Health Disparities · Law · Mathematics · Mining and Resource Management · Risk Perception and Management · Artificial Intelligence

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