ABSTRACT
In traditional sociological analysis, this subjective dimension of protest has often been ignored or viewed as private and individualistic. Feminist theory, however, helps us to see its importance. For feminists, the critical reflection on the everyday world of experience is an important subjective dimension of social change (Collins, 1990; Ferree, 1992; Hartsock, 1994; Mueller, 1987; Smith, 1987; Taylor & Whittier, 1992). Feminists show us how experience is not merely a personal, individualistic concept. It is social. People's experiences reflect where they fit in the social hierarchy. Thus, blue collar women of differing backgrounds interpret their experiences of toxic waste problems within a context of their particular cultural histories. They start from different assumptions and arrive at concepts of environmental justice that reflect broader experiences of class and race.
