Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-11-2016

Publication Source

Public Integrity

Abstract

This inquiry focuses specifically on administrative (local official) narratives that speak to contentious issue contexts of social conflict. Specifically, it draws upon a theoretical connection between hermeneutics and the sociology of knowledge to interpret narrative passages of local officials and others related to a contentious public action—the Detroit Water and Sewerage District’s stepped-up water-discontinuation efforts (2014 and 2015) that left thousands of inner-city residents with “delinquent” accounts and no access to water service. Selected narratives from this case are interpreted on the basis of their literary and social functions. The interpretations support a subsequent determination of whether and how the power and influence of administrative narrative assume significance as a matter of public ethics.

Inclusive pages

164-186

ISBN/ISSN

1099-9922

Document Version

Postprint

Comments

The document available for download is the author's accepted manuscript, provided in compliance with the publisher's policy on self-archiving. Permission documentation is on file.

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Volume

19

Issue

2

Peer Reviewed

yes

Keywords

administrative rhetoric, code of ethics, human rights

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