Ways of “Not Hearing”: Corporate Denial in the Case of Aircraft Noise and Victimisation in the UK

Abstract

AbstractThe elusive power dynamics behind the victimisation of aircraft noise pollution, a neglected type of invisible environmental harm, is the main concern of this study. I examine these dynamics through first-hand accounts of individuals’ aircraft noise complaint experiences with the airports in London, UK. An analysis of these experiences reveals specificities of corporate denial strategies in minimising or ignoring noise and the victims. I identify two different uses, namely reconstructive and obfuscation, of technical denial of cause, as the distinct types with which the individuals’ noise claims are confronted. As such, the paper contributes to our understanding of the experience of being an environmental victim. It also illustrates how the specific forms of corporate denial operate to the advantage of the powerful and contribute to victimisation.