Site Fights: Divisive Facilities and Civil Society in Japan and the West

Governments face a vexing problem when it comes to siting controversial facilities, as they must balance the needs of all citizens with adverse consequences for host communities.

Daniel P.

Aldrich's groundbreaking book "Site Fights" provides quantitative evidence from over 400 municipalities in Japan and case studies from around the world to show how planners deliberately seek out unorganized and acquiescent communities to minimize conflict.

However, when protests arise, agencies rely on coercive powers of the modern state, such as land expropriation and police repression.

Only under pressure from civil society do policymakers move towards financial incentives and public relations campaigns.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in public policy, environmental policy, Japanese politics, and comparative politics.

It will help you understand the importance of developing engaged civil society to make communities less attractive to planners of controversial projects and more effective at resisting future threats.