Sociology of Environment

1. Sociology of Environment Wednesday September 7, 2005 Week 2, Meeting # 3

2. Overview Welcome Business Items (note: reserve the date Monday September 19th 4 p.m.) Katrina Reflections The work of Suzanne Keller and Lee Clarke Presentation Classical Thinkers (all attempting to understand the genesis & social change that accompanied the rise of modern industrial society) Durkheim Weber Marx Others Sociological Perspectives Conservative Liberal/Managerial Radical Scholarly vs. Political Meanings of these Perspectives

3. Thought From Last Week Margaret Mead (anthropologist) Quote: �Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.� 

4. Our Phrase for the Day Social Theory is our Friend

5. Presentation Introduction Purpose � Why Reflect on Classical Thinkers? Roots of our current thinking Understanding Our Conceptual differences between Environmental Sociology & Mainstream Sociology Sociology and Biology Love � Hate Relationship (1800s to present) Social Darwinism/ Eugenics/ White Man�s Burden/ Nature-Nurture Debates Rejection of Biological Determinism � �Only Social Facts can explain Social Phenomenon� [Sociology own/ Independent Discipline] Environmental Sociology Fits How? Classical Thinkers were actually early Environmental Sociologists This fact has been ignored by most mainstream Sociologists

6. Classical Thinkers Thomas Robert Malthus (1776-1834) English Theologian �Essay on the Principle of Population� (1798) Quote: �Power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man� See text for details Key ingredient/ factor in current situation/ Limits to Growth Debate [later in the semester] Emphasized the environmental limits of society Malthus-Marx Debate [Population vs. Capitalism]

7. Classical Thinkers Cont. Charles Darwin (1804-1882) Naturalist �The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life� (1859) Darwin Influenced by Malthus� Essay Competition for scarce resources Species selection and survival Fitness � superior within existing conditions Notion of Adaptation & Natural Selection Notion of Evolution � through selection species continue to evolve into different/ more complex creatures (diversity) Darwin NOT an environmental sociologist. But great influence on the social sciences � sociology in particular � as noted earlier Led to the rise of Social Darwinism (Herbert Spencer)

8. Classical Thinkers Cont. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) French Sociologist Interested in what keeps society together� What is the �Social Glue? Social Values/ Norms/ Shared Beliefs Patterns of Interactions- Mechanical & Organic Solidarity Book: The Division of Labor in Society (1893) Modern Society - Social Glue based more on reciprocity not sameness; specialization and interdependence Based on evolution to social needs because of competition over increasingly scarce resources However �did not believe in continuous social progress Change in Population (P) ? Resource Scarcity (S) ? Change in Social Organization (SO) ? P

9. Classical Thinkers Cont. Karl Marx (1818-1883) German Historian/Economist/Sociologist DAS KAPITAL (1867) Belief in Economic Determinism, i.e. fundamental, natural laws of history found in the economic structures of society Class Conflict Inevitable � 2 classes � the Haves (capitalists) and the Have Nots (workers/ proletariat) World History of Class Struggle: Lords vs. Serfs; Masters vs. Slaves; Capitalists vs. Workers Workers Rebel; Capitalism system collapses and replaced by utopia (Communism)- classless society Revolutionary change required to change society Exploitive Nature of Capitalism; Accumulation of Wealth & Resources by Capitalists are the reasons why there is resource scarcity/ environmental degradation Capitalism robs the soil as well as labor Social Justice/ Harmony, including Harmony with Nature & abundance of natural resources would exist under communism

10. Classical Thinkers Cont. Max Weber (1864-1920) [Published 1st Paper at 13] German Historian, Economist, Sociologist Famous for his comparative studies � ancient civilizations, world religions; studies on bureaucracies/ domination by elites Works: �The Protestant Ethic & Spirit of Capitalism�; Economy & Society (2 volumes) Rejected both evolutionary views (Spencer) & Economic Determinism of Marx (social change built into our social structures) Weber�s notion of social change is more complex & nuanced- product of random events; life change � including environmental and resource factors Social phenomenon � result of many causal factors � random historical events � e.g. revolution; technological innovations; geographic features E.g. Study of Ancient Civilizations � showed how the ecological conditions of frequent floods in China and recurrent droughts in Mesopotamia stimulated developed of flood control and irrigation works. These conditions favored the development of strong, centralized state authorities to coordinate these water works.

11. Classical Thinkers Cont. John Stuart Mills (1806-1873) Utopian Socialist Philosopher Mills too believed that resource scarcity and environmental degradation resulted from excessive population and exploitation of resource base Worried that increases in human population and wealth could not continue forever Unlike Malthus, Mills was an OPTIMIST; Believed humans could change their behavior and adopt more sensible and sustainable practices Mills �invented� the concept of sustainability � �stationary state economy� [Source for Herman Daly�s Steady-State Economy] Redistribution of wealth; Avoid the conflict between rich and poor Utopian Society � stable population; less resource consumption; fair distribution of wealth Simpler existence; Increased fulfillment through �Intellectual Growth� Voluntary Simplicity Movement; Henry David Thoreau: �Simplicity, Simplicity, Simplicity�

12. Sociological Perspectives Presented in our Text Conservative Paradigm Liberal/ Managerial Paradigm Radical Paradigm Understanding their Meaning: Political vs. Scholarly

13. Sociological Perspectives Conservative Paradigm Emile Durkheim � Cultural/ Human Values Liberal/ Managerial Paradigm Max Weber � Power/ Domination of Elites Radical Paradigm Karl Marx � Follies of Capitalism (Neo-Marxian)

14. Sociological Perspectives Cont Conservative Paradigm (Culture) Role of Values and Norms in Society Leading to environmental degradation Providing Solutions to our environmental Problems Environmental Crisis � Unanticipated consequence of change in Western value system/ social modernization Individualism Secularism/ Achievement, etc. Brought us � Democracy, Capitalism, and Material Abundance BUT Also Environmental destruction Conservative Paradigm is reflected in the DWW/ HEP/ NEP Debate - Changing our value structure from Dominant West Worldview and Human Exemptionalism to a New Ecological Paradigm What needs to be done? Why is this considered conservative?

15. Sociological Perspectives Cont. Liberal/ Managerial Paradigm (Power) Power & Domination by Elites (Managers) Elites Unwilling to Protect the Environment Two Mechanisms of Domination Power Elite Dominate Government/ Corporations/ Political System Power Elite control Mass Media (vehicles of mass persuasion) Environmental Solution? Why is this viewed as �Liberal� Perspective?

16. Sociological Perspectives Cont. Radical Paradigm (Class) Capitalist System underlying source of our environmental degradation Capitalism to be effective political and socially must be expansionary (continues growth) Wealth is used to �buy off� working class; maintain social order (Capitalist in control) Environmental destruction is necessary for the continued economic expansion (scale of destruction increases) Solution: Dismantling of the Capitalist System?

17. Sociological Perspectives Cont. Return to: DWW, HEP, NEP Dominant Western World View 1. People are fundamentally different from all other creatures on earth, over which they have dominion. 2. People are the masters of their own destiny; they can choose their goals and learn to do whatever is necessary to achieve them. 3. The world is vast, and thus provides unlimited opportunities for humans. 4. The history of humanity is one of progress; for every problem there is a solution, and thus progress need never cease.

18. Sociological Perspectives Cont. Human Exemptionalism Paradigm 1. Humans have a cultural heritage in addition (and distinct from) their genetic inheritance and thus are quite unlike all other animals species 2. Social and cultural factors (including technology) are the major determinants of human affairs 3. Social and cultural environments are the crucial context for human affairs, and the biophysical environment is largely irrelevant. 4. Culture is cumulative; thus technological and social progress can continue indefinitely, making all social problems ultimately soluble.

19. Sociological Perspectives Cont. New Ecological Paradigm 1. Even though humans have exceptional characteristics (culture, technology, etc), they are but one among many species that are interdependently involved in the global ecosystem. 2. Human affairs are influenced not only by social and cultural factors, but also by intricate linkages of cause, effect, and feedback in the web of nature; thus purposive human actions have many unintended consequences. 3. Humans live in and are dependent upon a finite biophysical environment that imposes potent physical and biological restraints on human affairs. 4. However much the inventiveness of humans or the powers derived there-cannot be repealed.

20. Sociological Perspectives Cont. Which Paradigm: Conservative (values) Liberal / Managerial (power elites) Radical (class/ capitalism) Offers the greatest explanatory power for our environmental situation? For our way out? Why?