SOC-275 Environmental Sociology † *

This course is an introduction to the field of environmental sociology, the study of the interaction between human societies, social behavior and the natural environment. Focusing on modern societies, we examine social and cultural factors that 1) affect the overall societal-environmental relationship and, 2) affect environmental problems and collective efforts to respond to them. Social factors include social-structural elements such as the economy, crime, government and communities as well as patterns of social inequality. Cultural factors include prevailing and competing beliefs about the natural environment and values as manifested in lifestyle, aesthetics and civic participation. Social movements addressing these factors will also be examined.