Public understandings of air pollution:The 'localisation' of environmental risk

Bickerstaff, Karen and Walker, Gordon (2001) Public understandings of air pollution:The 'localisation' of environmental risk. Global Environmental Change, 11 (2). pp. 133-145. ISSN 0959-3780

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Recent perspectives on public understandings of global environmental risk have emphasised the interpretation, judgement and 'sense-making' that takes place, modes of perception that are inextricably tied to aspects of 'local' context. In this paper we offer a current picture of the ways in which residents think about the problem of urban air pollution. To do this we utilise elements of a wider research project involving a survey and in-depth interviews with members of the public. In this way - and drawing upon the prior air pollution perception literature and recent work in the field of environmental and risk perception - we present a more analytical interpretation than has hitherto been approached. Conclusions are drawn which stress the localisation of people's understandings within the immediate physical, social and cultural landscape and also through a trust in personal experiences over any kind of information-based evidence. From this position, and with the development of implications for policy, we demonstrate the need to study public perceptions if the objectives of air quality, and more generally, environmental management are to be achieved.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Global Environmental Change
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2308
Subjects:
?? AIR POLLUTIONLOCAL CONTEXTSOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONGLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGEGEOGRAPHY, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTECOLOGYMANAGEMENT, MONITORING, POLICY AND LAW ??
ID Code:
128662
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
05 Nov 2018 16:08
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
19 Sep 2023 02:02