Date of Award

5-2024

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

Environment

First Advisor

Jesse Van Gerven

Second Advisor

Julia Angstmann

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze the municipal water crises of Flint, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; and Jackson, Mississippi through the lens of political ecology to determine how history, power, and society have shaped the troubled water system we see in the United States today. In cities around the US, citizens cannot access clean water, violating a basic human right. Policies have been implemented to protect citizens from consuming contaminated water but are poorly enforced. Additionally, despite knowledge of the ongoing problems including insufficient treatment, outdated infrastructure, and overly contaminated source water, little has been done to remedy the situation. The theoretical framework of political ecology examines the environmental state by looking closely at society and power imbalances, showing that these conditions were not inevitable, but rather the result of exploitative decisions by those in power. By using this framework, it is possible to determine the causes of these crises rather than their symptoms alone. I perform a discourse analysis of each case, pulling literature from news sources, books, policies, and interviews to understand the context of these events and the relations of power between government officials and citizens. By performing this study, it is clear that these water crises, like those occurring today, result from policy failure, economic prioritization, and environmental injustice. Understanding the problem and how it has worsened, provides the information needed to formulate an effective, long-term solution.

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