Graduation Year
2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
M.A.
Degree Granting Department
Sociology
Major Professor
Laurel Graham, Ph.D.
Co-Major Professor
Michael Lynch, Ph.D.
Committee Member
David Stamps, Ph.D.
Keywords
Environmental concern, Democracy, Environmental law, Congressional representation, Congressional action
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between public opinion about the environment and the introduction of congressional legislation on environmental issues. Using public opinion data gathered by the General Social Survey from 1977 to 2002, this work examines correlations between how the public views the environment in each and the number of bills introduced in the U.S. House and Senate addressing environmental issues. The findings indicate that there is a correlation between overall concern felt in the public and congressional action on certain aspects of environmental protection. The results also highlight the potentially disturbing finding that the race and economic class of a respondent play a role in the level of correlation between respondents' concern for the environment and congressional action on environmental issues.
Scholar Commons Citation
Jarvis, Hugh Eugene, "Public Opinion and the Introduction of Congressional Environmental Legislation, 1973-2002" (2008). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/315
