Tipping point discourse in dangerous times

Chris Russill; Chad Lavin

doi:10.3138/cras.42.2.142

Tipping point discourse in dangerous times

Chris Russill
, Chad Lavin

English

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

The concept of the tipping point has reshaped how crisis is perceived and understood in public discourse. We study this trend in selected instances, including the 2005 Iraqi elections, the 2005 flooding in Louisiana, and the climate-change crisis, before situating Malcolm Gladwell's theory of the tipping point in historical context. We discuss how Gladwell interprets key dimensions of the epidemiological approach in an overly selective manner in order to advance a particular political perspective on public policy. This perspective restricts an understanding of the way social inequalities shape the environmental conditions, contexts, and politics of social problems.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	142-163
Number of pages	22
Journal	Canadian Review of American Studies
Volume	42
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3138/cras.42.2.142
State	Published - Jan 1 2012

Keywords

Changement climatique
climate change
crise
crisis
épidé miologie
epidemiology
Hurricane Katrina
Iraq
Malcolm Gladwell
non linéaire
non-linear
ouragan Katrina
Thomas Schelling

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10.3138/cras.42.2.142

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title = "Tipping point discourse in dangerous times",

abstract = "The concept of the tipping point has reshaped how crisis is perceived and understood in public discourse. We study this trend in selected instances, including the 2005 Iraqi elections, the 2005 flooding in Louisiana, and the climate-change crisis, before situating Malcolm Gladwell's theory of the tipping point in historical context. We discuss how Gladwell interprets key dimensions of the epidemiological approach in an overly selective manner in order to advance a particular political perspective on public policy. This perspective restricts an understanding of the way social inequalities shape the environmental conditions, contexts, and politics of social problems.",

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AB - The concept of the tipping point has reshaped how crisis is perceived and understood in public discourse. We study this trend in selected instances, including the 2005 Iraqi elections, the 2005 flooding in Louisiana, and the climate-change crisis, before situating Malcolm Gladwell's theory of the tipping point in historical context. We discuss how Gladwell interprets key dimensions of the epidemiological approach in an overly selective manner in order to advance a particular political perspective on public policy. This perspective restricts an understanding of the way social inequalities shape the environmental conditions, contexts, and politics of social problems.

KW - Changement climatique

KW - climate change

KW - crise

KW - crisis

KW - épidé miologie

KW - epidemiology

KW - Hurricane Katrina

KW - Iraq

KW - Malcolm Gladwell

KW - non linéaire

KW - non-linear

KW - ouragan Katrina

KW - Thomas Schelling

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DO - 10.3138/cras.42.2.142

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:84865270358

SN - 0007-7720

VL - 42

SP - 142

EP - 163

JO - Canadian Review of American Studies

JF - Canadian Review of American Studies

IS - 2

ER -

Tipping point discourse in dangerous times

Abstract

Keywords

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