The WSU Humanities Center invites faculty, students, staff, and the community to a Brown Bag presentation given by Rahul Mitra (Associate Professor, Communication) on the topic of, "Why Should We Care about Microplastics?": How Local Communities Understand Emerging Environmental Health Risks".

Abstract: In contrast to legacy pollutants (e.g., lead, asbestos), public perceptions of the health risks posed by emerging environmental pollutants are uncertain, leading to disagreements about appropriate policy response. This study, guided by the social construction of risk and communication-as-design approaches, examines how two Michigan communities make sense of the risks posed by microplastics contamination. Five focus groups were held with 28 community leaders (from local nonprofits, business groups, block clubs, schools, university extensions and government organizations) to better understand their intersubjective meaning-making and how protective measures may be designed apropos of their lived experiences