We actually didn’t get an e-mail about this, but this panel today with the College of the Environment Think Tank 2012 seems semi-relevant to the current battle that is taking place over the Centerplan development:
NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) environmental protests are usually associated with images and rhetoric of selfish, parochial communities who engage in violent clashes with authorities. Most social science literature thus far has focused on what policy makers and businesses can do to avoid this kind of opposition. This panel takes a different view. Examining NIMBY environmental protests in Germany, China, Russia, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, the four panelists will argue that although they may begin with narrow goals, NIMBY protests can often have positive and lasting influences on environmental policy and governance.
Speakers:
Mary Alice Haddad, Wesleyan University
Carol Hager, Bryn Mawr College
Takashi Kanatsu, Hofstra University
Elizabeth Plantan, Cornell University
Discussant:
Sarah Wiliarty, Wesleyan University