Defining sustainable development: A case study in environmental communication

Risk Communication and Public Education in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on the 10th Anniversary of the ‘Black Friday’ Tornado

“…The 'Social Constructionist Approach' and a similar 'National Research Council Approach' focus on the merging of the flow of technical information from the scientific community with the flow of values, beliefs, and emotions from the audience, or stakeholders. The Social Constructionist differs in the belief that all inputs come from both sides (NRC, 1989(NRC, , 1996Waddell, 1995). The final approach, 'Hazards Plus Outrage', developed by Fischoff and Slovic, and popularised by Sandman (1987), asserts that the audience does not even want to know technical information.…”

Conservation Education and Environmental Communication in Great Ape Re-Introduction Projects: Two Cases From the Republic of Congo

“…With time, the resolution of early and obvious conflicts and challenges, and the continuing presence of the project proponents in the regions (considering the history of flux on the parts of governments and companies that have operated there in the past), the possibility exists that the instrumental orientation of education in the project areas can grow into a greater process of exchange and interactivity (as in Scott and Gough's [2003] process of mediation or Waddell's [1995] social constructionist approach). Whether and how this can happen relates to a paradox of conservation and development, recognition that conservationists and community members often differ in purpose and whether the goal-oriented reality of the conservationist can internalize and act in an other-oriented partnership, as detailed in Chapin's (2004) critique of international conservation organizations relationships with indigenous peoples and communities.…”

From a fiasco to the Supertanker grand finale: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s crisis communication during the Carmel disaster

“…The constructionist approach (Waddell 1995) further stresses the need to know the target audience's system of beliefs, opinions, and fears as well as those of the risk communicators and managers. The social constructivism approach believes that it is in fact the values, norms, and positions of the opinion leaders (experts, scientific community, and media) that influence the way they communicate and convey the message to the audience, just as much as the audience's norms and values influence the way it receives and is influenced by the transmission of the messages.…”

“…Many leaders address their citizens at times of crisis using commonplaces (Billig 1996) they share with them. According to the constructivist theory (Waddell 1995), in order to analyse and understand risk communication and its reception by the audience, we must understand the values of the communicator and his audience in the particular place and time. Therefore, according to constructivist theory, risk communication is a consequence of the communicator and his audience.…”