Precarious Labor and the Performative Politics of Climate Governance in the Anthropocene: A Comparative Study of Texas, Florida, and Washington State

This paper examines how neoliberal governance shapes labor precarity and environmental protections through a comparative analysis of legislative debates in Texas, Florida, and Washington State. In the Anthropocene, where climate change intensifies existing socio-economic vulnerabilities, marginalized workers—particularly those working in sectors like agriculture, and construction — face disproportionate risks. Legislative interventions in these states reflect contrasting approaches to environmental labor governance, exposing the tensions between economic growth, state power, and worker protections. While Texas and Florida enact pre-emption laws that prevent local governments from implementing heat protections, Washington offers an alternative model, integrating labor safety within broader climate resilience frameworks.

This study employs Bourdieu’s field theory (1993) to analyze legislative debates as performative arenas where narratives of labor, economic development, and environmental responsibility are constructed and contested. In Texas and Florida, the alignment of business interests with state governance frames labor protections as regulatory burdens that threaten economic vitality. These discourses produce a paradox: workers are rendered essential but expendable, reflecting how neoliberal governance manages labor precarity by simultaneously extracting value from marginalized labor while withholding protections. Washington State’s policy environment provides a contrasting narrative, where labor-environment coalitions advocate for climate and worker justice without compromising economic development.

This study argues that the performative nature of governance, as expressed in legislative discourse, serves not only to legitimize policy outcomes but also to reproduce or resist neoliberal logics. By analyzing how labor and environmental governance is performed across different state contexts, this paper contributes to environmental and political sociology. It offers insights into the evolving relationship between climate responsibility, labor regulation, and state power to show how the Anthropocene demands new frameworks for governing both environmental futures and worker welfare.