University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Towards just uncertainties: A mixed method study of environmental crises

Gonzalez Cruz, Jesann

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127466

Description

Title
Towards just uncertainties: A mixed method study of environmental crises
Author(s)
Gonzalez Cruz, Jesann
Issue Date
2024-11-27
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Johnson, McKenzie F
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Larson, Eric R
Committee Member(s)
  • Jones, Jamie
  • Cisneros, Josue D
Department of Study
Natural Res & Env Sci
Discipline
Natural Res & Env Sciences
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Crisis
  • Justice
  • Uncertainty
  • Disaster
  • Invasive Species Denialism
Abstract
While crises can spark change, scholars note the underlying urgency may undermine justice, prompting political ecologists to push for critical investigations of crises. In this dissertation, I draw on mixed methods to probe diverse crisis case studies and identify where and why injustices manifest. First, I find that urgency, together with the precautionary principle, can foster an environment wherein public critiques of invasive species discourse/efforts are dismissed. Second, I demonstrate that federal efforts to preempt institutional risk of corruption in Puerto Rico significantly slowed hazard mitigation efforts, ultimately transforming local hazard mitigation plans into fantasy documents. Lastly, I identify opportunities to empower community participation in disaster waste management. These findings elucidate how uncertainty is mobilized by decision-makers at the expense of the greater public. Ultimately, this work builds on interdisciplinary crisis scholarship and identifies key tension points where change is needed to facilitate just outcomes.
Graduation Semester
2024-12
Type of Resource
Thesis
Handle URL
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127466
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2024 Jesann Gonzalez Cruz

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