Uncertain Hazards
"Tesh offers a remarkable book for exploring the problems environmental activists encounter with the scientific establishment and scientific proofs. . . The book will be used by environmental scientists and activists as well as social and behavioral scientists. Graduate students; faculty and researchers."—Choice, January 2001"Drawing on interviews with activists and social movement theory in her analysis of the social construction of enviornmentalism, Tesh balances the views that such political-ethical activists are naive about science and that science fails to support their concerns about such hazards as pollution."—Reference and Research Book News, August 2001"Even though it is too brief, Uncertain Hazards presents a provocative mapping of environmental politics that will be useful to a broad range of readers."—William Chaloupka, University of Montana, Missoula. Canadian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 34, No. 3"This easy to read, useful book combines several literatures: environmental history, science and society, and social movements. . . Overall this little book is crammed full of old knowledge in new packages as well as a number of original insights. The book invites the reader to rewarding critical engagement."—Helen Ingram, University of California, Irivine. Mobilization, Fall 2001"Concerned community members and activists who are grappling with the difficulties in understanding the riskes of environmental toxins will find Sylvia Tesh's book, Uncertain Hazards, though provoking and insightful. . . Tesh does an excellent job of presenting important concepts relating to environmental riskks and calling for necessary change in scientific methods of inquiry. Her emphasis on the need for community based activists to facilitate that change is welcomed."—John Fogarty. Voices from the Earth, Summer 2002."Uncertain Hazards addresses the clash between science and democracy when scientists fail to corroborate the claims of grassroots activists. Drawing from interviews, the author takes issue with assumptions underlying the literature on social movements and risk assessment. Rather she argues that the environmental movement has shaped the beliefs and values of our culture including the views of scientists. She thus rejects assumptions about the expert/lay dichotomy. This is a thoughtful and provocative book—essential reading for those concerned about environmental issues as well as social movement theory."—Dorothy Nelkin, University Professor of Social Sciences at New York University"Uncertain Hazards is a fresh, historical view of the potentials of environmental action, overturning the stereotypes, and making the latest social science theories accessible. The citizen is both an expert and a diffuser of new cultural 'frames' in this optimistic, eminently readable assessment."—Charles Perrow, Yale University"This is a fabulous book. Sylvia Noble Tesh offers a fresh, original, and lucidly written analysis of the way environmental activism has taken on the public health and scientific communities, and the promise that the movement holds for transforming these institutions for the better."—David Schlosberg, Northern Arizona University, author of Environmental Justice and the New Pluralism"Extremely refreshing to read. The notion that science is itself biased by dominant notions in society is an important one to point out. This book does this and takes it one step further to analyze not just how science has tended to be biased against the ideas about nature that environmentalists have put forward, but also how science is beginning to change as environmentalists' ideas become more infused in our society. A solid and impressive contribution."—Jennifer Clapp, Trent University