Communication Between Government Agencies and Local Communities: Rhetorical Analyses of Primary Documents in Three Environmental Risk Situations

Abstract

Despite the migration of letters and memoranda to electronic media, these documents are still occasionally written as hard copy and transmitted through the post, especially during risk situations. In two recent environmental situations, such letters were sent in 2014 to residents in Newark, NJ, who were affected by the discovery of high levels of lead in their school water and in 2016 to residents of East Chicago, IN, who were affected by the discovery of lead under their homes. In each of these situations, letters were sent to residents whose reactions ranged from fear in Newark to anger in East Chicago. In neither case did residents act as requested. However, in 2011, residents in Morgan City, MO, whose land would be flooded by the opening of the Morganza Spillway, followed the instructions they received and evacuated. Research questions: This study examines the failure of citizens and community institutions to respond positively, if at all, to requests transmitted in hard copy that are related to risk situations. It poses the following research questions: 1. Do commonalities exist among the rhetorical decisions made by the writers of letters to which readers responded positively in a risk situation? 2. If so, do these decisions differ from those made by writers of letters to which readers objected or disregarded the requests made? Literature review: Research related to rhetorical analyses of primary documents transmitted in hard copy between engineers and managers prior to and during risk situations was surveyed. In addition, the literature related to rhetorical analyses of primary messages transmitted electronically prior to and during risk situations was also examined. Methods: A rhetorical analysis of the letters focused on the writers’ efforts to consider readers’ reading patterns and styles, prior knowledge, need for background information and details, and the economic, political, and psychological context in which readers read the letters. Results: The results indicate that the Newark and East Chicago letters are writer rather than reader-based, the writers failing to consider the readers’ reading patterns and styles, to provide necessary information, and to recognize the context in which the readers read the letters. On the other hand, the letters related to the Morganza Spillway are reader-based, providing the necessary information at the beginning of the correspondence, as well as providing sufficient details to enable readers to take the actions required to safeguard themselves and their families, businesses, and homes.