Abstract
Aviation is an integral element of advanced capitalism, and for many citizens and groups it is regarded as an essential ingredient of their everyday practices. But flying impacts negatively on local communities near airports, and the vast majority of the population who do not fly, not to mention the planet. Indeed, though citizens (and governments) regularly proclaim their intention to address climate change, and the environmental impacts of aviation, many still fly. Contesting Airport Expansion explores this dilemma by analysing the different ways that public authorities continue to sponsor the aviation industry in the face of hostile political opposition, and the growing scientific evidence of the negative impact of flying on carbon emissions and climate change. The book presents a genealogy of the problems and proposed solutions of UK airports policy since the 1940s, shedding light on the technologies of government used by the state to try and depoliticise the public opposition to airport expansion. It shows how strategies to depoliticise aviation and expand airports have often failed because their proponents were unable to constitute an effective political will in the face of the fundamental challenges of politics. The spectre of politics is evident in the growing social antagonisms and ideological struggles that punctuate the battle for policy hegemony in aviation. Challenging the dominant logics of airport expansion in the UK context, the book argues for a radical re-routing of airport and aviation policy along a path of degrowth, which can lay the grounds for a more sustainable future.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.