The Politics of environmental discourse : ecological modernization and the policy process /

In this excellent work, Hajer articulates the changes in the environmental conflict and the current state of global environmental politics. His thesis is that the environmental debate is "not a conflict over a predefined unequivocal problem, but a complex, continuous struggle over the definition and meaning of the environmental problem itself." The book is well organized and includes sections on the new environmental crisis, the analysis of discourse, and a historical review of ecological modernization. Case studies of the UK and the Netherlands illustrate the current process of ecological modernization and the interplay between nongovernment organizations, industry, and government agencies. Hajer demonstrates that the discourse between and within advocacy coalitions defines environmental problems and thus determines eventual policy. Furthermore, he seeks to show the institutional dimension of discourse and how that discourse shapes society. The final chapter presents the methodology Hajer uses to show that ecological modernization occurs through a more comprehensive process than simply stringent regulation or citizen protest. The discourse of environmental problems ultimately redefines the cultural standards for environmental safety. Appropriate for upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals. D. Ostergren West Virginia University