From Black Codes to Recodification: Removing the Veil from Regulatory Writing Book Review

Abstract

In this book, Miriam F. Williams explores regulatory writing that promotes distrust in historical and contemporary African American constituencies. Focusing specifically on Texas regulatory laws, she examines how writers of legislation and policies struggle with making language of legislation and policies clearer and objective while grappling with long-held feelings of distrust of government legislation in African American citizens--feelings that have been perpetuated by historical use of veiled language in laws and policies. She explores the possibility of mitigation an audience's mistrust by writing these policies in Plain English in an attempt to be more objective and transparent. The book is recommended to all who seek to explore the connections between public policy and technical communication and the implications of these fields of study on social and cultural concerns.