Fighting the "Big Lie" in the Big Easy An Environmental Justice Dispute in Post-Katrina New Orleans
Date of Award
2007
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Hernandez, Sarah
Keywords
Environmental Justice, New Orleans, Social Movement, Coalition
Area of Concentration
Sociology
Abstract
This thesis deals with a case study of an environmental justice dispute occurring in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, looking at the environmental and organizational influences on the Citizens for a Strong New Orleans East (CSNOE) coalition. I first look at the context influencing the actors in the dispute, looking first at the history of the environmental justice movement in Louisiana, and then at the problems and opportunities created by Hurricane Katrina. I discuss in Chapter Two the methodology utilized in my data collection and research design, specifIcally my use of the grounded theory approach. I then move on in Chapter Three to talk about the case itself, first describing the overall dispute and then elaborating on the coalition itself. I speak first about the members of the coalition and the goals, character, and roles of each organization. I then look at the actual dynamics of my case and how the coalition formed and functioned. In Chapter Four, I pull back to discuss the overall influences on the coalition's success, including pre-existing social networks, high capacity and expertise, diverse tactical and resource pools, and compatible ideological orientations. In the Conclusion to my thesis, I find that the factors of success in this case are clear but difficult to recreate in other New Orleans communities.
Recommended Citation
Conley, Samantha, "Fighting the "Big Lie" in the Big Easy An Environmental Justice Dispute in Post-Katrina New Orleans" (2007). Theses & ETDs. 3761.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/3761
Rights
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