Book Review: General Politics: Integrating Climate, Energy and Air Pollution Policies
| DOI | 10.1111/1478-9302.12100_65 |
| Published date | 01 August 2015 |
| Date | 01 August 2015 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
G E N E R A L P O L I T I C S
characteristics, except for their gender. As such, six
change. Similarly, a growing corpus of academic lit-
aspects of campaigns – candidate experience, crying,
erature seeking to sensitise readers to the possible
anger, toughness, lack of empathy and knowledge gaffes
environmental effects to come is gaining popularity.
during the campaign (p. 51) – were interacted with
In this respect, the late Gary Bryner’s book (com-
gender and analysed in regard to their impact on ‘overall
pleted by Robert Duffy) Integrating Climate, Energy
favourability, likely effectiveness in Senate, and likely
and Air Pollution Policies contributes to the current
effectiveness as US president’ (p. 54), as well as their
debate on climate change policy making by empha-
perceived ‘issue competencies’ (such as knowledge of
sising the importance of integrative policy analysis.
the economy) and ‘personal traits’ (p. 55).
The author’s main thesis is that it is desirable to
Brooks’ conclusions are optimistic: gender stereo-
consider climate change together with air pollution,
types are still in place, but they do not disproportion-
energy, transport and agricultural policies. The book
ately hurt the electoral chances of female candidates.
focuses on the US, the world’s second largest energy
Also, contrary to journalistic accounts, Brooks does not
consumer after China, according to recent data from
find evidence to support the suggestion that women are
the International Energy Agency. However, rather
penalised for ‘violating gendered prescriptive stereo-
than set an example of climate change coordination
types’ (p. 144), and even that inexperienced female
and capacity-building, the author notes that America’s
candidates have a slight advantage over inexperienced
policy is highly decentralised, fragmented and dis-
men.
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