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Technical Experts (technical + expert)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Humanities and Social Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Crisis Discourses and Technology Regulation in a Weak State: Responses to a Pesticide Disaster in Honduras

DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 1 2003
Kees Jansen
Hurricane Mitch hit Honduras in October 1998, leaving a trail of death, injury and devastating damage. As it tore through the country, the hurricane damaged a number of warehouses which contained pesticides, resulting in the discharge of more than 70 tonnes of pesticides into the environment. This article explores the responses of the Honduran state and international relief agencies to this event. It analyses the use of crisis discourses and their role in the reconstruction process, arguing that crisis discourses may legitimize political rule in the context of a weak state. It goes on to make the point that the shaping of crisis discourses is not the exclusive terrain of politicians but necessarily involves technical experts. [source]

Regulating Contested Local Hazards: Is Constructive Dialogue Possible Among Participants in Community Risk Management?

POLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, Issue 3 2000
Angela C. Halfacre
This article uses focus group data to explore the connection between scientific uncertainty about environmental risks and the emergence of distrust among local populations, regulators, and technical experts affected by those risks. With data from a nationwide study of issues associated with the cleanup of U.S. nuclear weapons facilities, the article uses "dialogue theory" and focus group data from three locations to identify the sources of miscommunication and distrust among these actors. The authors conclude that, despite problems with perception and communication among these groups, enough common ground exists to be optimistic about expanding participation for all affected groups in the policymaking process. In fact, expanded participation should diminish the distrust developed from previous regulatory regimes. [source]

Networking for knowledge transfer: towards an understanding of local authority roles in regional industrial ecosystem management

BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 5 2004
Fredrik von Malmborg
Knowledge of the changing roles of local authorities (LAs) in relation to industry would provide an important insight for development and management of industrial ecology at the regional level. Drawing on empirical studies in Sweden, this paper develops a theoretical understanding of the roles of LAs in knowledge transfer in regional environmental management networks. It is suggested that LAs, besides initiating networks and being network brokers and managers, can act as ,knowledge banks' or ,knowledge brokers'. As a ,knowledge bank', officers in the LA hold the knowledge transferred to companies and engage closely with the companies in small active networks. As ,knowledge brokers', LA officers are less active and mainly help companies to get in contact with consultants and technical experts who hold the knowledge needed for developing environmental management in the companies. In all, the roles identified could be seen as more specific approaches to be taken by the LA when playing the overall role of an institutional anchor tenant, facilitating development and management of regional industrial ecosystems. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

Dealing with Toxicity in the Risk Society: The Case of the Hamilton, Ontario Plastics Recycling Fire,

CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 1 2002
S. Harris Ali
Une perspective de la construction sociale sert de cadre a l'analyse des controverses sur la gestion des risques qui ont été provoquées à la suite d'un incendie majeur dans une usine de recyclage de matières plastiques à Hamilton, en Ontario. En mettant l'accent sur les processus de réclamation au c,ur de l'interaction entre les représen-tants du gouvernement, les acteurs environnementaux, les experts techniques et les résidants, il a été révélé qu'un accent trop limité aux questions d'ordre technique avait mené a l'exclusion des préoccupations fondées sur la rationalité culturelle ayant ainsi entraine un cadre d'interaction très litigieux divisant profondément. Les conséquences des conclusions empiriques de la thése de la société des risques ainsi que de la théorie sur la communication des risques sont explorées. A social construction perspective is applied in the analysis of the risk management controversies that arose in response to a large toxic fire that occurred at a Hamilton, Ontario plastics recycling facility. By focussing on the claimsmaking processes involved in the interaction of government officials, environmental movement actors, technical experts, and residents, it was found that an overly narrow focus on technical matters led to the exclusion of lay concerns based on cultural rationality, thereby resulting in a very contentious and divisive setting for interaction. Implications of the empirical findings for the risk society thesis and risk communication theory are explored. [source]