Environmental Politics in the International Arena: Movements, Parties, Organizations, and Policy.

A flurry of interest in environmental policy in the late 1980s resulted in a series of texts being written for the college market by Sheldon Kamieniecki, James Lester, Lester Milbrath, Walter Rosenbaum, Zachariah Smith, and Norman Vig and Michael Kraft. Many of those texts are being revised and brought out in new editions in 1994 to reflect the policy changes of the Clinton Administration and 1992's Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Sheldon Kamieniecki's Environmental Politics in the International Arena is a welcome addition to the crowded field of new texts, especially since the book focusses on global actors and movements -- while most authors attempt to stick to the more manageable topics of domestic environmental policy.

This new book is part of SUNY's Series in Environmental Public Policy, whose series editor, Lester Milbrath, is now Professor Emeritus at SUNY Buffalo. Kamieniecki notes in his introduction that the book brings together analyses of the key actors involved in global environmental policymaking as a way of understanding the relationships which tie them together. That same theme is repeated in the way the book is organized: first, through an examination of various environmental movements around the world; then through a more detailed overview of green parties; followed by a section on international organizations and international law; and lastly, by specific regional case studies of the European Community, the former Soviet Union, Latin America, and Asia.

Kamieniecki must have used a Who's Who in compiling the selections for this volume, since its seventeen authors represent a broad (and distinguished) panel of experts in global policy research. In addition to the veteran authors like Milbrath and Lester, contributors range from Lettie McSpadden Wenner, whose specialization in law and public policy shines through in her chapter on transboundary problems in international law, to Oran Young, whose chapter on organizations and institutions provides a clear analysis of the concept of international regimes. Rik Scarce, whose sociology research into radical environmental organizations landed him a jail sentence, joins three other colleagues in contributing a chapter detailing grassroots resistance in developing nations.

As a general rule, I rely upon only two opinions when I evaluate a textbook I consider using in my courses: my own, and those of the students taking the class. Having used Kamieniecki's text in my Spring 1994 course, "Global Environmental Policy," I can report a definite two thumbs up.

My students, who represent a variety of upper-division majors ranging from political science to business, almost unanimously agreed that I should assign the book again next year. Their reviews gave the highest marks to Kamieniecki's Introduction, which provides a short, all-you-need-to-know overview at the beginning of the book, and to Milbrath's explanation of the conflict between the dominant social paradigm and the new environmental paradigm.

Their criticisms were directed at the area studies chapters -- they felt Steven Sanderson's analysis of Latin America was too short and that it tended to lump all Latin America problems into a single continental stew. Several others commented on the lack of chapters on Africa, the Middle East, Micronesia, and Arctic areas.

Although I have tended to stay away from edited volumes in the past because of the unevenness of the writing, Kamieniecki has formed a compatible group in this volume. The reader does not get the impression that the chapters were pieced together, and the topics the authors cover are broad enough to maintain a sense of continuity. Kamieniecki has put all the material into a tight, well-organized package. Its short length and affordable price in paper will allow instructors to team it with other books, journal articles, and readings to customize a course or suit a particular disciplinary focus.

Jacqueline Vaughn Switzer
Southern Oregon State College

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