green readings annotated bibligraphy-libre

8/12/2019 Green Readings Annotated Bibligraphy-Libre

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Six Selected Green Readings: An Annotated Bibliography

In this annotated bibliography towards the development of environmental

politics, looking at issues of justice, Iris Young's Responsibility for Justice,

argues that we should think about personal responsibility in relation to social

justice. Whereas, Michael andel's Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?,

discusses what makes a just and moral society in today's free!market. "n

economics, #rnest chumacher's Small is Beautiful: a study of economics as if

people matteredgives an alternative view to economics which feature in today's

free!market. Whereas, $aomi %lein's The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster

apitalismaddress how in today's free!market, disaster capitalism has

destroyed peoples lives for the benefit for others. &ichard Wilkinson and %ate

ickett'sThe Spirit !e"el: Why #reater $%uality &akes Societies Stronger looks

at whether health and social problems in some developed countries are related

to income ine(uality. Michael Maniates' ndi"iduali(ation: )lant a Tree* Buy a

Bike* Sa"e the World, argues that by individualising responsibility on issues of

environmentalism, this has restricted peoples )environmental imagination*.

Young, Iris. . !"##. Responsibility for Justice. $x%ord &ni'ersity (ress:)e* Yor+.

+he author died in --, before this book was finished and left the

manuscript nearly complete, and is published as she last assembled it. he was

an influential and creative political philosopher and before her death she was a

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rofessor of olitical cience at the /niversity of 0hicago. he discusses how

we should think about personal responsibility in relation to social justice, where

she also conceptualises responsibility to issues of structural injustices. 1er

argument suits those concerned about social justice, so that they understand

the processes of the individual, social!structural processes and responsibly

towards reducing social injustice. 1er discussion on issues of poverty, shows

that it is not just about personal responsibility, but that there are also

background structural processes which produce injustice and hinder progress

when dealing with poverty. 2s her core theme is how to distinguish guilt from

responsibility, she looks to 2rendt where she dissects the function of guilt and

where to locate its moral or legal blame. 1er 'ocial 0onnection Model' looks at

responsibility not in terms of liability, rather on participation and connection to

institutional social!structural processes. 3lobal issues are also addressed,

including slavery and sweatshops looking at personal and political responsibility

towards the well!being of the less powerful within the free!market. +his book is

helpful towards the development of environmental politics in regards to social

justice, as the author argues that with the understanding and knowledge of how

structural processes work, issues of structural injustices can be addressed

which can help social justice.

Sandel, ichael. . !""-.Justice: Whats the Right Thing to Do?)e*Yor+: arrar, Straus and Giroux.

+he author is a college professor at 1arvard /niversity and has taught

political philosophy there since 456-. +his book was written to accompany the

authors famous lectures on 7ustice which he teaches at 1arvey /niversity, $ew

York and is suited for the general audience interested in the topic. +he book

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sets out to address what makes a just society and demonstrates how in the

Western world the free market claims freedom of choice and social welfare. 1e

aims to get readers to think about justice and morality by using philosophical

arguments, using hypothetical tales like '+he &unaway +rolley' and '+he 2fghan

3oatherds'. 7ustice is e8amined in three ways of thinking9 welfare, freedom and

virtue, and looks at their strengths and weaknesses. +his is e8plained using the

political ideologies of utilitarianism :7eremy ;entham and 7ohn tuart Mill


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+hrough this book of essays, he gives an alternative view on economics which

he believed could help towards a more sustainable economy. +he book is for

the economist and the wider audience, as he believed all humans needed to

change their attitude towards nature to help it from further demise. 1e argues

how the focus on economic growth has created an increased gap between the

rich and the poor. +he reliance on the advancement of science and technology

has not helped towards development, rather it has hindered it and created more

environmental issues. 1e argues how bigger is not better, since the

concentration of economic power, has not only harmed the environment, it has

taken over production and resources from the local. 1e focuses on how smaller

is better, as it is local production that maintains a healthier natural and social

environment. 1e uses ;uddhist economics as an e8ample showing how it

would be a more beneficial concept as it places importance on community,

respect for all living things and the value of people above production and labour

above output. 1is alternative view on economics is a useful tool towards the

development of environmental politics, as his ideas take away the greed and

e8ploitation which arise in today's free!market. ;y placing people back into

economics and using a common sense approach, his ideas can be easily

implemented by businesses, local governments and communities working

towards a more sustainable environments.

4lein, )ao/i. !""5. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disasterapitalism! )e* Yor+: etropolitan Boo+s.

+he author is an investigative journalist and film maker. 1er first book +o

!ogo: Taking ,im at the Brand Bulliesbecame a international bestseller and has

been widely acclaimed. he is a former Miliband Aellow at the =ondon chool of

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#conomics and holds a honorary >octor of 0ivil =aws from the /niversity of

%ing's 0ollege, $ova cotia. +his book is controversial and reveals how the era

of free!market economics has destroyed countries and peoples lives for the

benefit of corporations and political leaders. It is suited for those who are

interested in the relationship between democracy and free!market and its

historical roots. +he author uses on!the!ground reporting and e8tensive

historical annotated research to look at the comprehensive origins of 'disaster

capitalism'. he discovers how certain crises and events have shaped the

worlds neo!liberal framework of the free!market economic system, starting from

the coup in 0hile in 45?@ to the politics of Margaret +hatcher9 collapse of the

oviet /nion and 5B449 through to the natural disasters of ri =anka to

1urricane %atrina. he e8plains that Milton Ariedman's legacy of the free!

market and his influence with world leaders has been instrumental to the spread

of the 'shock doctrine'. Ariedman's conceptual framework is based on the

premise that a crisis or perceived threat is an ideal opportunity for political

leaders to implement new economic policies or new political ideas. +he author

argues that the core to disaster capitalisation was to use events such as war,

coups or natural disasters to advance privatisation in order to boost the

economy and used as opportunities for government to implement radical social,

political and economic changes. +his book is helpful towards the development

of environmental politics as it gives the historical background of how the free!

market and democracy do not go hand in hand, which has lead towards the rise

against capitalism. 1er investigation into disaster capitalism can help people be

aware when political changes happen after their environment suffers a crisis.

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6il+inson, Richard. 2 (ic+ett, 4ate. !"#". The Spirit "e#el: Why $reater%&uality 'akes Societies Stronger. )e* Yor+. Bloo/sbury (ress.

;oth Wilkinson and ickett are epidemiologists by training. &ichard Wilkinson

is professor emeritus at the /niversity of $ottingham Medical chool. %ate

ickett is a professor at the /niversity of York, and a career scientist at the

$ational Institute for 1ealth &esearch. ;oth authors investigate the relationship

between health and social problems between different countries, and whether

these problems are related to income ine(uality. +he book suits those working

in organisations seeking better ways to organise society and those in the wider

audience with some statistical background. +hey use evidence to argue that we

are now at the end of what economic growth can do for society, and how

material and technological achievements has cause more psycho!social

problems to humans. +hey focus on a series of health and social issues like the

demise of trust, mental illness, life e8pectancy, education, teenage births,

homicides, imprisonments and social mobility. +heir data is gathered from the

World 1ealth "rganisation, the World ;ank, the /nited $ations /$I0#A, and

the /nited tates 0ensus ;ureau for various 2merican states and @ developed

countries performance on the issues of ine(uality. +hey measured 7apan as one

of the most e(ual countries along with three candinavian countries, along with

a group of #uropean countries. +he countries measured with the most

ine(uality are the /nited tates, ortugal, the /nited %ingdom and ingapore.

+he authors also look at social stratification, at those who think social status is

important and those who have lower status and the effects it had on social

outcomes within communities through various social structures, community life

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products. +his has also created an environmentalism industry where

consumerism gives the individual the illusion that they are doing their bit to save

the environment while taking responsibility away from the big industries. 1e

believes that by confronting consumption individuals will see themselves not

only as consumers, but as citiCens in a participatory democratic society who can

work together towards social action. 1e argues that since there is more

awareness of global environmental issues, the responsibility of individualisation

needs to be challenged so that conversation can begin and that people's

political imagination can be awakened. Aor the development of environmental

politics, this article gives insight into the effects of using consumption as social

action for environmental issues. 2s the author suggests, rather than just using

this one pathway, we should be e8ploring more pathways towards re!imagining

sustainability.

Bibliography:

%lein, $aomi. --?. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster apitalism-$ew YorkD Metropolitan ;ooks.

Maniates, Michael. A. --4. )IndividualiCationD lant a +ree, ;uy a ;ike, avethe WorldE.* 3lobal #nvironmental olitics 4 :@

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