Participation and Power: Civic Discourse in Environmental Policy Decisions (S U N Y Series, Studies in Scientific and Technical Communication)
Participation and Powerexamines the ways in which  citizens are allowed to participate in environmental policy decision  making. Despite requirements that mandate public participation,  institutional practices and current models of public participation often  exclude citizens from anything other than a superficial role. W. Michele  Simmons offers a firsthand look at risk communication and public  participation practices through a case study involving the disposal of VX  nerve agent. Arguing that a rhetoric for civic discourse in policy debates  is needed, she constructs a theory of democratic and ethical public  involvement that grants citizens more power in the decision-making  process."Simmons forges a strong claim for the greater value and potential of  meaningful dialogue in risk communication." -- Bill Karis, coeditor ofTechnical Communication, Deliberative Rhetoric, and Environmental  Discourse: Connections and Directions"Not only is the problem of risk communication relevant, but the use of  both rhetorical and technical communication theory makes the approach to  the problems in risk communication seem solvable. Further, the question of  actual public participation in risk communication should be of interest to  scholars and practitioners beyond the immediate field of technical and  scientific communication." -- Robert R. Johnson, author ofUser-Centered  Technology: A Rhetorical Theory for Computers and Other Mundane  Artifacts--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.