Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2014 -

In this excellent assessment of multimethod research, Taylor (Univ. of Michigan), author ofThe Environment and the People in American Cities, 1600s1900s (CH, Jul'10, 47-6335), brings a refreshing emphasis on nuance and accountability to the environmental justice (EJ) discussion.  Larger market forces contribute to the ongoing siting of hazardous facilities in environmental sacrifice zones, still often defined along racial and economic lines.  Using questions (e.g., Why dont they move?) to organize the historical time line, the author illustrates past actions and outlines how bias continues to the present day, assembling convincing examples from landmark cases.  Legal decisions, culpable intentionality, and examples of disparate impact build the argument, and Taylor backs assertions with evidence.  She ends with a call for more focus on theory, emphasizing a practical connection to health outcomes.  This problem-solving, analytic approach complements the ethically based benefits and harms analysis of James BoycesEconomics, the Environment, and our Common Wealth(CH, Sep'13, 51-0382).  Though neither book is a definitive compendium that situates the EJ movement in context, both encompass larger questions of privilege and social control/capital.  This book is accessible enough for undergraduates yet provides a comprehensive, objective, balanced portrait of environmental justice to date.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic, general, and professional library collections.