Environmental Sociology: Risk and Sustainability in Modernity

(Hardback)

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Environmental Sociology: Risk and Sustainability in Modernity examines the encounter between sociology and contemporary environmental issues. It presents the proposal for an environmental sociology considering the dilemmas surrounding sustainable development, ecological modernization, and risk society. In this book, Cristiano Luis Lenzi critically examines these concepts, aiming to show how controversial environmental sociology still is. The book offers a nuanced interpretation of some of the issues and disputes that arise in the debate over these approaches in the sociological literature.

Reviews

"In Environmental Sociology: Risk and Sustainability in Modernity, Brazilian scholar Cristiano Luis Lenzi revisits longstanding foundational debates and theoretical divides which have conspired to prevent environmental sociology from establishing a strong, holistic identity. Rather than treating ecological modernization (EM), sustainable development (SD), and risk society (RS) as incompatible, he argues that that there is room to profitably combine elements of all three approaches. A must read for those like myself who are actively engaged in the project of rethinking environmental sociology."

On the one hand, it is a very comprehensive review of a literature pertaining to environmental sociology. On the other hand, it is a sophisticated, abstract discussion of two theoretical perspectives that do not quite reflect the totality of the field.... As a resource for graduate students and faculty... it will be valuable, particularly for the way in which it thoroughly reviews Beck and Giddens and their concepts of sustainable development, the risk society, and ecological modernization, something that environmental sociological researchers seldom incorporate into their work. Highly recommended. Graduate students and faculty.

Author Bio

Cristiano L. Lenzi is a sociologist and professor of environmental sociology at the School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities at the University of So Paulo.