Book Review: General Politics: Governing Climate Change
| Published date | 01 January 2012 |
| Author | Carola Betzold |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1478-9302.2011.00253_7.x |
| Date | 01 January 2012 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
G E N E RA L P O L I T I C S
Jones), charity (Chris Brown), freedom (Elizabeth
nature of climate politics, the authors argue, regime
Brake), moral justice (Richard Brown), political action
approaches are insufficient as an analytical tool. They
(David Boucher) and postmodernism (Gary Brown-
adopt the related, but broader governance perspective
ing), not to mention the various isms that leave us
to highlight ‘where, by whom, how and why climate
with no time to think (not just ‘socialism, hypnotism,
governance takes place’ (pp. 12f.), and with what
patriotism, materialism’, but also anti-Semitism, capital-
consequences.
ism, commercialism, communism, consumerism, con-
The authors rely on a broad notion of power to
servatism, cosmopolitanism, expressionism, fascism,
answer these questions, emphasising the role of dis-
feminism, fundamentalism, imperialism, individualism,
course and peer pressure (p. 112). Who governs and
terrorism, war and Zionism).
how has important, if often overlooked, effects on how
The book’s largely historical approach is well suited
climate change is framed and what solutions are put
to the art of a man who is the personification of change
forward. This also has important implications regarding
and transformation through time (even when he is
normative questions of responsibility, equity and justice,
standing still it looks as if he is moving). From the civil
and poses critical challenges for policy coordination
rights movement through his born-again years to Live
and coherence. To illustrate: private regulation such as
Aid and beyond (to the land of Starbucks and Victoria’s
carbon certification schemes has great potential, yet
Secret), Dylan’s attitude has been systematically confron-
participation in these initiatives is discretionary, which
tational. His temperament is reliably Nietzschean, even
creates problems of uneven obligations and free-riding,
when his opinions are not.This...
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