| I investigate conflicts between advocates of natural versus manicured lawns and conflicts between proponents and opponents of lawn herbicides. Conflicts over lawns and lawn herbicides provide valuable insights into the cultural and symbolic dimensions of environmental issues generally, because the lawn conflicts tend to be fairly pure instances of conflicts over values, perceptions and meanings rather than over divergent material interests. Lawn controversies have to do both with risk perception and landscape as a symbol of social identity, hence the study of these conflicts contributes simultaneously to environmental and cultural sociology. The study addresses the following questions. What was the historical development of current lawn norms and practices and of the current criticisms of those norms and practices? How are the positions taken in these controversies framed in public discourse---in terms of what configurations of associations and contrasts? What do these discourses tell us about the social identities symbolized by pro-lawn, anti-lawn and anti-spray positions? How do sociodemographic variables affect front yard landscape practices, lawn herbicide risk appraisal and support for a controversial lawn bylaw? Qualitative components of the study involve the analysis of texts, including books and articles about lawns, lawn care and lawn alternatives, press reports and features, pamphlets, advertisements etc., as well as of materials (reports, briefs, submissions, legal documents, speeches, etc.) generated by municipal political controversies over herbicide use on public land and over a bylaw requiring the cutting of grass and weeds on private land. A quantitative component involves a survey of residents in an urban neighbourhood with diverse yard styles. The study finds that pro-lawn and anti-spray discourses are framed in terms of material security concerns, the former emphasizing risks of disorder from the margins, the latter those of violence and corruption from the centre. Anti-lawn discourses are framed in terms of a romantic postmaterialist opposition between interesting, complex freedom and vulgar uniformity. Positions and practices are statistically related to occupation, sector, gender and parents' occupations. Results are consistent with a status politics theory influenced by Bourdieu, Gusfield, Inglehart and Douglas. |
