Environmental Sociology

Environmental sociology studies the interactions between societies and their biophysical environments — the social causes and consequences of environmental change and conflict.

Scope

It covers the social drivers of environmental degradation, environmental movements and justice, risk, and the relationship between economic growth and ecological limits.

Core questions

• How do societies cause environmental change?
• How do environmental problems affect social groups unequally?
• How do environmental movements arise?
• Can growth be reconciled with ecological limits?
• How do societies perceive and manage environmental risk?

Key concepts

• Human exemptionalism vs ecological paradigm
• Treadmill of production
• Environmental justice
• Risk society
• Sustainability
• Environmental movements

Key theories

A new ecological paradigm

Catton and Dunlap argued sociology must abandon its 'human exemptionalism' and recognize societies' dependence on ecosystems.

The treadmill of production

Schnaiberg analysed how the drive for economic growth systematically generates environmental degradation.

History

Established in the 1970s (Catton & Dunlap, Schnaiberg) as a response to environmental crisis, the field developed the treadmill-of-production, ecological-modernization, environmental-justice, and risk-society perspectives, now central to climate-change social science.

Debates

Growth versus ecological limits

Whether economic growth can be made ecologically sustainable (ecological modernization) or is fundamentally degrading (treadmill of production).

Key figures

• William Catton
• Riley Dunlap
• Allan Schnaiberg

Seminal works

• catton-dunlap-1978
• schnaiberg-1980

Frequently asked questions

What is the treadmill of production?

The idea that the structural drive for economic growth continuously increases resource use and pollution, generating environmental harm.