From Classical to Critical: Addressing Theoretical and Methodological Gaps within Environmental Justice Research
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Date
2019-09-18
Authors
Alvarez, Camila
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
In this dissertation, I argue classical quantitative environmental justice research has three limitations: 1) overemphasizes the role of corporate actors and market forces in forming environmental hazards; 2) assumes homogeneous racial projects for non-white groups; and 3) focuses on singular social dimensions (i.e. race versus class) to understand environmental inequalities. Critical environmental justice research addresses these limitations with the following four pillars: 1) emphasize the overlapping dimensions of racism, classism, patriarchy, heteronormality, ableism, and speciesism; 2) include multiscalar frameworks; 3) incorporate the role of state power; and 4) focus on racial and socioeconomic indispensability. In this dissertation, I use a critical environmental justice perspective to address the theoretical and methodological gaps from classical quantitative environmental justice research with three empirical studies. Chapter 2 is a case study of Las Vegas, Nevada and uses the theoretical frameworks of environmental justice, racial capitalism, and the treadmill of destruction to argue the U.S. Military as part of the racial state within racial capitalism and as a result plays a direct role in forming environmental health disparities. Chapter 3 is a national-level study evaluating whether there are differences in environmental health disparities across spatial and temporal dimensions of Latinx destinations. Chapter 4 presents a theoretical and methodological approach to understanding intersectionality happening at higher ecological levels of the neighborhood with the eco-intersectional multilevel modeling approach. This dissertation fulfills the four pillars of environmental justice in the following ways: 1) this dissertation acknowledges overlapping systems of oppression by incorporating theoretical frameworks of racial capitalism and intersectionality; 2) this dissertation takes a multiscalar approach of examining environmental health risk from air toxics with a case study of Las Vegas and national studies; 3) this dissertation incorporates the racial state; and 4) this dissertation focuses on racial and social justice. This dissertation contains previously published and unpublished co-authored material.