Empirical distributional studies only scratch the surface of environmental racism’s causes

Evidence

To understand fully the phenomenon of environmental racism, one must understand the structural processes that underlie the well-documented distributive outcomes. In this sense, unequal distribution is not the sine qua non of environmental racism. Instead, it is a crucial entry point for exploring the social and institutional processes underlying distributional patterns. — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up, 292

The studies that chart the disproportionate distribution of environmental hazards have been a wake up call for those in this country who care about social justice. However, in a sense, the studies are just a beginning in fully understanding the phenomenon of environmental injustice or racism. As we have demonstrated, focusing on distributional results alone obscures the social structure and institutional context in which environmental decisions are made. Absent a deeper focus on the processes that lead to racially disparate outcomes, the studies provide only an incomplete understanding of environmental racism. — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up, 381

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines environmental racism as requiring structural-process analysis, not just documented distributive disparity.
• XREF: Connects to the earlier So Far claim on how the single-bad-actor search obscures structural causes of environmental racism. — connects to: Distributional studies alone cannot explain the processes producing environmental racism.; Analyzing environmental racism requires structural, procedural, and normative frames jointly — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up: Environmental…, 334; Correlational studies cannot by themselves establish that environmental racism siting is causal — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up: Environmental…, 308 (+3 more)
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up: Environmental…, 292; Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up: Environmental…, 381
• recurring: this claim recurs 2 times within its source

Broader Connections

• Correlational studies cannot by themselves establish that environmental racism siting is causal #expands (0.85) — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up, 308
• The single-bad-actor search obscures structural causes of environmental racism #expands (0.85) — Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster, From the Ground Up, 97
• Environmental injustice persists without racist intent because bias is structurally embedded #expands (0.80) — David Schlosberg, Defining Environmental Justice, 221