I really enjoyed the lecture on Thursday, and I think it is important to consider the dynamic relationship between social inequality and environmental degradation. Simone deconstructed the state, and reworked the notion of a state policy, I think this important because these concepts are commonly taken for granted. I liked the portion of the lecture when we heard about Simone's experiences and research in India. At this point I could better relate the material to the information we were learning in class. His research on the flower industry in India made me think about a class I had taken in the past that talked about the flower industry in Kenya. I found a link (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=pYdYDEFcaIY) on YouTube that depicts the inequality and environmental degradation that the cut flower industry in Kenya creates.
Chapter four, and the 'risk society' relate to many social and environmental issues that are occurring globally. The cut flower industry in Kenya is rooted in imperialism, whereby those in the UK transform and redefine the way of life in Kenya. The UK transforms Kenya into a 'risk society' by manipulating their social relationships, their industry and their environment. The short film shows how the exploitation of the land has caused increased pollution and disease. It is safe to say that this is an issue of environmental justice and human rights. Beck, Gould and Schnailberg suggest that the state (The United Kingdom in this case) is a contributor to 'ecological and social violence" (Gould and Lewis: 2009, 50). The film suggests that we need to question where products come from, and consider both the environmental and social inequalities that are born out of these situations.
