From “Concealment” to “Deconcealment”: Lay Knowledge and Its Generation Mechanism for Issues of Environmental Risk in China

ABSTRACT: In this paper, lay knowledge challenges the authoritative discourse on environmental risk and promotes the transformation of the traditional governance model to a cooperation-based model adapted to a risk society. We utilise texts and interviews to explore the complexity and systematisation of the lay knowledge mechanism based on a case study of waste incineration in China. Our findings indicate that lay knowledge generation involves collaboration between risk-takers, non-core experts, and communication “alerters.” Additionally, they reveal the driven module and a cyclic process that integrates resource integration, knowledge shaping, dissemination, and empowerment, ensuring the visibility and utility of lay knowledge. This study assists in understanding civil environmental society in China and provides a new perspective for policymakers to comprehend associated risks. KEYWORDS: lay knowledge, generation mechanism, environmental risk issues, waste incineration, knowledge generation.