The Environment

How are human societies changing the global environment?
Is sustainable development really possible?
Can environmental risks be avoided?
Is our experience of nature changing?
This book shows how questions about the environment cannot beproperly answered without taking a sociological approach. Itprovides a comprehensive guide to the ways in which sociologistshave responded to the challenge of environmental issues as diverseas global warming, ozone depletion, biodiversity loss and marinepollution. It also covers sociological ideas such as risk,interpretations of nature, environmental realism, ecologicalmodernization and globalization. Environmentalism and greenpolitics are also introduced. Unlike many other texts in the field,the book takes a long-term view, locating environmental dilemmaswithin the context of social development and globalization.
The Environment: A Sociological Introduction is unique inpresenting environmental issues at an introductory level thatassumes no specialist knowledge on the part of readers. The book iswritten in a remarkably clear and accessible style, and uses a richrange of empirical examples from across the globe to illustrate keydebates. A carefully assembled glossary and annotated furtherreading suggestions also help to bring ideas to life.
The book will be a valuable resource for students in a range ofdisciplines, including sociology, geography and the environmentalsciences, but also for anyone who wants to get to grips withcontemporary environmental debates.