Inconsiderate consideration: claims making and the high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Abstract

Adding to the literature regarding environmental racism and environmental decision-making procedures, I perform textual analysis on documented claims made by American Indians during the siting process for the high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. I apply Fraser's (2003) theoretical concepts of 'redistribution' and 'recognition' and her normative standard of 'participatory parity' and conclude that the claims made by American Indian participants aimed to increase the level of participatory parity between themselves and the Department of Energy officials. My results suggest that the logic of the paradigm of redistribution is interrelated with the logic of the paradigm of redistribution. These findings indicate that social actors and social movements working toward greater social justice need to utilize the emancipatory aspects of the two paradigms, thus supporting Fraser's (2003) theoretical contentions. Future research needs to address other case studies and the interconnections between other cases to strengthen out theoretical understanding of two-dimensional social justice.