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 mattered gives an alternative view to economics which feature in today's free!market. Whereas, $aomi %lein's The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster apitalism address how in today's free!market, disaster capitalism has destroyed peoples lives for the benefit for others. &ichard Wilkinson and %ate 'ickett's The 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. )e* Yor+.

. !"##. Responsibility for Justice. $x%ord &ni'ersity (ress:

+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

'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<9 which seeks greatest happiness for the greatest number9 liberalism :7ohn =ock, Immanuel %ant and 7ohn &awls<9 the justice of freedom towards the free market, while tackling egalitarian for the need of market regulation9 and justice which looks at virtue and the good life :2ristotle<. >iscussions used throughout the book, dissect the underlying moral assumptions contained in each philosophy on various issues from abortion, assisted suicide, national service, patriotism through to the moral limits of the free market. +his book is useful towards the development of environmental politics as he provokes discussion on the topics that concern today's contemporary society, and whether social or political decisions made in the free!market, whether in the public or private, have underlying moral issues which make them just or unjust. Schu/acher, 0rnest. .. #--1. Small is Beautiful: a study of economics as if people mattered. Blond 2 Briggs: 3ondon.

chumacher :4544!45??< was 3erman born, educated in #ngland in the 45@-s and a well known ;ritish economist, journalist and entrepreneur before writing this book. 1is approach to economics he believed was helped by having a practical e8perience which he did by working on a farm during the war.

+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 Disaster apitalism! )e* Yor+: etropolitan Boo+s. +he author is an investigative journalist and film maker. 1er first book +o !ogo: Taking ,im at the Brand Bullies became 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.

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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and social relations. +heir research is useful for the development of environment politics, as it is helpful for understanding what areas in society have weakened due to ine(uality even those in privileged societies. +heir research not only has implications for current policy makers, but it is also helpful for research for current policy makers to tackle social environmental issues, along with community based organisations. aniates, ichael. .. !""#. Indi'iduali7ation: (lant a 8ree, Buy a Bi+e, Sa'e the 6orld9. Global 0n'iron/ental (olitics # :1;: 1#<=#.

+he author is a writer, speaker and a 'rofessor of 'olitical and #nvironmental cience at 2llegheny 0ollege. +his article looks at how the increasing dominant view on contemporary issues on environmental ills in 2merica has given way towards an individualist approach and how society finds its solutions in consumerist choice. +his article is aimed at scholars and researchers to highlight that the road to environmental sustainability is through collective democratic action. 1e looks at the processes of how individualisation derived itself from when political institutions transferred responsibility to the person, which in effect takes responsibility away from institutions. 1e makes the claim that the indi"iduali(ation of responsibility onto the person to use consumerism to buy environmental friendly products, has restricted peoples )environmental imagination*. #ffectively, this message to buy )environmentally sound* products to protect the environment has taken away the ability for discussion on the causes and effects of environmental problems. 1e argues that the message environmental movements spread of recycling and planting trees has not done enough to stop environment issues rather it has produced individuals who think they have the ability to bring change by buying )green* or )eco!friendly*
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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, ave the WorldE.* 3lobal #nvironmental 'olitics 4 :@<D @4!F4. andel, Michael. 7. ,--5. Justice: What.s the Right Thing to Do? $ew YorkD Aarrar, traus and 3irou8. chumacher, #rnest. A. 455@. Small is Beautiful: a study of economics as if people mattered. ;lond G ;riggsD =ondon. Wilkinson, &ichard. G 'ickett, %ate. ,-4-. The Spirit !e"el: Why #reater $%uality &akes Societies Stronger. $ew York. ;loomsbury 'ress. Young, Iris. M. ,-44. Responsibility for Justice. "8ford /niversity 'ressD $ew York.