Understanding Environmental Discourses Relating to Water Security
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Political Science
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Michael Lipscomb
Abstract
During the next 100 years, water security will become increasingly important because there is a limited amount of water that is accessible on the planet. Out of the total amount of water, only 2.5 % of it is freshwater, and thus safe for consumption, and of that only 0.4 % is water found on the surface or in the atmosphere. This means that, out of the million trillion gallons of water that are on the planet, only a small fraction is available for general consumption. While reports inform, and might offer, solutions, they give little insight as to how create policy. This paper seeks those solutions though a careful analysis of the environmental discourses that frame this issue. Using a set of categories developed by the political scientist John Dryzek (Prometheanism, Survivalism, Administrative Rationalism, Democratic Pragmatism and Market Rationalism), this paper seeks to make direct sense out of water-security issues. My paper addresses what the importance of water security is as it relates to individual discourses and the ways in which each discourse influences policy. I would then like to highlight the amount of influence each discourse has over water security to better address the feasibility and challenges each faces when trying to implement policy, and how effective each is at doing so.
Course Assignment
Environmental Politics, PLSC 325, Dr. Michael Lipscomb
Previously Presented/Performed?
Water in the World Conference, Winthrop University, November 2015
Start Date
22-4-2016 1:10 PM
End Date
22-4-2016 1:25 PM
Understanding Environmental Discourses Relating to Water Security
West Center, Room 219
During the next 100 years, water security will become increasingly important because there is a limited amount of water that is accessible on the planet. Out of the total amount of water, only 2.5 % of it is freshwater, and thus safe for consumption, and of that only 0.4 % is water found on the surface or in the atmosphere. This means that, out of the million trillion gallons of water that are on the planet, only a small fraction is available for general consumption. While reports inform, and might offer, solutions, they give little insight as to how create policy. This paper seeks those solutions though a careful analysis of the environmental discourses that frame this issue. Using a set of categories developed by the political scientist John Dryzek (Prometheanism, Survivalism, Administrative Rationalism, Democratic Pragmatism and Market Rationalism), this paper seeks to make direct sense out of water-security issues. My paper addresses what the importance of water security is as it relates to individual discourses and the ways in which each discourse influences policy. I would then like to highlight the amount of influence each discourse has over water security to better address the feasibility and challenges each faces when trying to implement policy, and how effective each is at doing so.
