Which author argues environmental issues are shaped by competing discourses, and that policy outcomes depend on which discourse dominates?

Which author argues environmental issues are shaped by competing discourses, and that policy outcomes depend on which discourse dominates?

• A. Parsons, Laurie. Skeletons, dragons and the 'climate war': Geography's colonial legacy and the uneven landscape of environmental knowledge
• B. Barry, Andrew. The politics of the Anthropocene
• C. Dryzek, J. S. The Politics of the Earth
• D. Kenis, A. Post-politics contested

Answer: (C)

Environmental issues are not just about facts; they are shaped by the different ways people talk about them—the frames, values, and solutions that become common sense in politics. The author here argues that these discourses compete in environmental politics, and which one dominates determines which policies are considered legitimate and thus which actually get implemented. In The Politics of the Earth, J. S. Dryzek develops this discursive approach, showing how problems are defined and solutions are legitimized through competing ways of talking about the environment, from technocratic and managerial framings to democratic, ecocentric, and emancipatory perspectives. Because policy outcomes follow the prevailing discourse, shifting which frame holds sway can lead to very different governance styles and resulting policies. This emphasis on discourse competition and dominance is what makes Dryzek the best fit for describing how environmental issues are shaped by competing discourses and how policy results depend on which discourse circulates most powerfully.

Environmental issues are not just about facts; they are shaped by the different ways people talk about them—the frames, values, and solutions that become common sense in politics. The author here argues that these discourses compete in environmental politics, and which one dominates determines which policies are considered legitimate and thus which actually get implemented. In The Politics of the Earth, J. S. Dryzek develops this discursive approach, showing how problems are defined and solutions are legitimized through competing ways of talking about the environment, from technocratic and managerial framings to democratic, ecocentric, and emancipatory perspectives. Because policy outcomes follow the prevailing discourse, shifting which frame holds sway can lead to very different governance styles and resulting policies. This emphasis on discourse competition and dominance is what makes Dryzek the best fit for describing how environmental issues are shaped by competing discourses and how policy results depend on which discourse circulates most powerfully.