THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DEBATE - A COMMENTARY ON METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES AND PRACTICAL CONCERNS

Over the last decade, environmental sociology has produced a tremendou s stream of research pertaining to environmental justice issues. In ge neral, we now know that low income groups and communities of color are disproportionately exposed to toxic wastes. In this paper I argue tha t future research requires a shift in methodological approach. Learnin g how groups come to be exposed to toxic wastes requires an understand ing of the organizational processes that shape decisions regarding pro duction practices and regulatory enforcement strategies. I conclude by making three claims: (I) Documenting that disempowered groups are exp osed to toxic wastes more than other groups is important. Disentanglin g whether race or class matters more is more dubious. (2) If we want t o make claims about process, we should study process and not outcomes. (3) Insofar as we have to study outcomes, we should be more aware of which outcomes we want to study and what types of inferences we are ab le to draw from outcomes.