LM+Memo+20+Part+Deux+-+Re-Abstracting

The aim of this research is to generate knowledge about the perception of risk associated with high volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing (fracking), among women of the Marcellus Shale. The study will draw on the existing literatures that examine risk perception, the social effects of fracking, and gender roles in environmentalism. The research will be carried out through a) a review of the existing literature, and b) field work in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Through interviews with women affected by the fracking industry, this study will highlight the ways in which women perceive and experience the risks associated with fracking. This understanding will help policy makers understand the reality of risk and vulnerability in the Marcellus Shale.