Sociology and the Environment : A Critical Introduction to Society, Nature and Knowledge

by Alan Irwin (Brunel University)

• ISBN13: 9780745613604
• ISBN10: 0745613608
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Polity

Summary

Can sociology help us to tackle environmental problems? What can sociology tell us about the nature of the environment and about the origins and consequences of environmental risks, hazards and change? In this important new book Alan Irwin maps out this emerging field of knowledge, teaching and research. He reviews the key sociological debates in the field and sets out a new framework for analysis and practice. Among the themes examined are constructivism and realism, sustainable development and theories of the risk society. Readers are also introduced to communities at risk, institutional regulation and the environmental consequences of technology. Particular topics for discussion include genetically modified organisms, nuclear power, pesticide safety and the local hazards of the chemical industry. Rather than maintaining a fixed boundary between nature and society, Irwin highlights the hybrid character of environmental issues and emphasizes the role of social and cultural factors within environmental policy. Combining theoretical discussion and case-studies with a sensitivity to the concerns of environmental policy and practice, Sociology and the Environment provides an excellent introduction to an expanding and immensely important field. It will be a valuable text for students and scholars in sociology, geography, environmental studies and related disciplines.

Author Biography

Alan Irwin is Professor of Sociology at Brunel University

Table of Contents

Preface	vi
Introduction	1	(30)
Sustainability as Social Challenge	31	(19)
The Risk Society Thesis: The End of the World As We Know It?	50	(20)
Science and the Social Construction of Environmental Threat	70	(20)
Risks in Context: The Local Construction of Environmental Issues	90	(23)
Institutional Judgements and Contested Decisions: The Governance of Environmental Problems	113	(23)
Kamikazes and Chromosomes: Sociological Perspectives on Technology	136	(25)
Society, Nature, Knowledge: Co-constructing the Social and the Natural	161	(27)
Notes	188	(6)
References	194	(10)
Index	204