POLLUTION-INDUCED CONTENTION IN ENTREPRENEURIAL RURAL CHINA

Abstract

POLLUTION-INDUCED CONTENTION IS USUALLY THOUGHT TO BE DRIVEN BY CONCERNS OVER POLLUTION. THIS DISSERTATION CHALLENGES THIS ASSUMPTION. DRAWING ON TEN MONTHS OF FIELD RESEARCH IN ZHEJIANG PROVINCE OF CHINA, I SUGGEST THAT IN PLACES WHERE LOCAL VILLAGERS THEMSELVES DRIVE RURAL INDUSTRIALIZATION, WHEN VILLAGERS, AS ENTREPRENEURS, ARE ALSO PERPETRATORS OF POLLUTION, POLLUTION-INDUCED CONTENTION CAN BE MORE THAN VICTIMS RESISTING POLLUTION. BY TAKING THE PERSPECTIVE OF LOCAL VILLAGERS, THIS DISSERTATION SEEKS TO SHED LIGHT ON THE FOLLOWING THREE RESEARCH QUESTIONS: 1) WHY DOES INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION PERSIST? 2) WHY HAS CONTENTION AROUND POLLUTION PERSISTED? 3) WHAT EXPLAINS THE VARIED RESPONSES OF LOCAL VILLAGERS OVER INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION? THE REALITY THAT VILLAGERS ARE BOTH VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS OF POLLUTION FORCES US TO UNDERSTAND THE ABOVE QUESTIONS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. FIRST, VILLAGERS DO NOT SIMPLY PASSIVELY ENDURE POLLUTION BUT ACCEPT IT AS INEVITABLE THROUGH VARIOUS EXPERIENCES WI