Doctoral Dissertation Research: A Sociohistorical Explanation of Urban Environmental Inequality

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators

Abstract

In aiming to explain the existence of environmental inequality - the disproportionate location of environmental hazards near low income and minority neighborhoods - this project contrasts two theories. One is based on direct racial discrimination, and another is based on the indirect consequences of housing inequality by class and race. The evaluation of the contrasting theories comes from the analysis of data from three sources. One source identifies the location of toxic facilities, another provides figures on home ownership, and a third uses figures from the U.S. census. With data over the 1940-1990 period for eight selected areas, the analysis examines the relationship between housing segregation and environmental inequality. The results not only help evaluate the alternative theories and the relative roles of class and race in promoting environmental inequality, but also address policy options in alleviating the problem.