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

Rating:
Summary: Environmental sociology
Review: It is a very good book on environmental sociology.It documents relationships of environment,sociology and science/technology.
First, it discusses realist and constructist's point of view.
According to realist,environmental problems are simply impact upon society.According to constructivism,environmental problems are social construction.
Secondly,it explains important aspact of environment
'sustainable development'. It is the development which meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It requires changes in a number of systems e.g. political,social,technological to achieve harmony among humanbeing.humanity and nature.
Thirdly, it explains Ulrich Beck's 'Risk Society'.
Just as modernisation dissolved the structure of society in the 19th century and produced the industrial society, the modernisation today is dissolving industrial society and other modernity 'late modernity' or 'risk society'is coming into being. The proccess of modernity is becoming reflexive.Problems find constraints of everyday life are no longer externallt imposed, we enter a secondary phase of modernity,raising new challenges,scientifically induced risk and also problems (loneliness'anomie etc.)The reflexive modernisation , the proccess is 'automatic operation of autunomous modernisation process'.
Then it shows how science plays a significant role within the social construction of environmental threat.Here science,risk and environmental issues are explained by means of giving examples of chemical hazards,civil nuclear power and BSE.
Lastly,technology which is a vital for sociological analysis for
environmental sociology is explained. Here sustainable technology and role of technology for construction of alternative environmental future is explained.Relationship of sociology,technology and environment is given.
It a book for a student of sociology,environment and any sincere reader. It shows how late modernity gives rise to risk society and further theories if risk society and ultimately reflexive modernisation concept.