The profits of distrust : citizen-consumers, drinking water, and the crisis of confidence in American government / Manuel P. Teodoro, Samantha Zuhlke, David Switzer.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 279-301) and index.
Contents:
1. Basic services and trust in government : the glorious, tragic legacy of America's water systems -- 2. The profits of distrust: a political theory of the citizen-consumer -- 3. (Dis)trust at the tap : experience and performative trust -- 4. Hyperopia and performative trust : how failure over there shapes behavior right here -- 5. Speaking up or opting out : moral trust, voice, and exit -- 6. Geographies of alienation : the institutional roots of distrust -- 7. When trust pays : the virtuous cycle of trust, participation, and service quality -- 8. Basic services and rebuilding legitimacy : the water-trust cycle, from virtuous to vicious and back again -- The plan : better water for a more perfect union -- Appendix A. Survey methodology -- Appendix B. Kiosk data collection and validation -- Appendix C. Statistics -- References.
Summary:
"The burgeoning bottled water industry presents a paradox: Why do people choose expensive, environmentally destructive bottled water, rather than cheaper, sustainable, and more rigorously regulated tap water? The Profits of Distrust links citizens' choices about the water they drink to civic life more broadly, marshalling a rich variety of data on public opinion, consumer behavior, political participation, geography, and water quality. Basic services are the bedrock of democratic legitimacy. Failing, inequitable basic services cause citizen-consumers to abandon government in favor of commercial competitors. This vicious cycle of distrust undermines democracy while commercial firms reap the profits of distrust - disproportionately so from the poor and racial/ethnic minority communities. But the vicious cycle can also be virtuous: excellent basic services build trust in government and foster greater engagement between citizens and the state. Rebuilding confidence in American democracy starts with literally rebuilding the basic infrastructure that sustains life." - Amazon.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.