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Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology
The most student-oriented book available for environmental sociology courses, Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology introduces undergraduates to the subject in a groundbreaking new way. Instead of compiling articles from professional journals, this innovative reader presents twenty
classroom-tested "lessons" from dedicated, experienced teachers. These diverse readings examine key topics in the field, from the social construction of nature to the growing influence of global media on our understanding of the environment.
Building this collection on the model of a successful undergraduate classroom experience, coeditors Kenneth A. Gould and Tammy L. Lewis asked the contributors to choose a topic, match it with their favorite class lecture, and construct a lesson to reflect the way they teach it in the classroom. The
result is an engaging, innovative, and versatile volume that presents the core ideas of environmental sociology in concise, accessible chapters. Each brief lesson is designed as a stand-alone piece and can be easily adapted into an existing course syllabus.
Ideal for any course that looks at the environment from a sociological perspective, Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology offers an insightful introduction to this dynamic subject.
classroom-tested "lessons" from dedicated, experienced teachers. These diverse readings examine key topics in the field, from the social construction of nature to the growing influence of global media on our understanding of the environment.
Building this collection on the model of a successful undergraduate classroom experience, coeditors Kenneth A. Gould and Tammy L. Lewis asked the contributors to choose a topic, match it with their favorite class lecture, and construct a lesson to reflect the way they teach it in the classroom. The
result is an engaging, innovative, and versatile volume that presents the core ideas of environmental sociology in concise, accessible chapters. Each brief lesson is designed as a stand-alone piece and can be easily adapted into an existing course syllabus.
Ideal for any course that looks at the environment from a sociological perspective, Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology offers an insightful introduction to this dynamic subject.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 25, 2018
The book is a collection of 19 essays dealing with environmental sociology, and it covers topics from climate change and agriculture to globalisation and technology.
I've read most of the lessons, though some of them diagonally: many times I didn't feel the amount of memorable data justified the length of the chapter. I agree with most of the authors' positions (the non-neutrality of technology, the questioning of "progress", the emphasis on the tensions between the global North and South -even in questions such as protecting the environment...), and did learn quite a bit in a couple of lessons (mainly the ones covering the history of environmental sociology and the Green Revolution), although many chapters can be too basic for someone who has taken interest in the topics beforehand.
As a side note, I was surprised at its claim that Marx did not recognise the intrinsic value of nature, given that Marx claimed that "Capitalism tends to destroy its two sources of wealth: nature and human beings". I do agree with the view that he held human-exemptionalist views, though, and it is possible that there is a difference between the term "intrinsic value" as used by the author and Marx's "wealth", so it's probably no big deal.
I've read most of the lessons, though some of them diagonally: many times I didn't feel the amount of memorable data justified the length of the chapter. I agree with most of the authors' positions (the non-neutrality of technology, the questioning of "progress", the emphasis on the tensions between the global North and South -even in questions such as protecting the environment...), and did learn quite a bit in a couple of lessons (mainly the ones covering the history of environmental sociology and the Green Revolution), although many chapters can be too basic for someone who has taken interest in the topics beforehand.
As a side note, I was surprised at its claim that Marx did not recognise the intrinsic value of nature, given that Marx claimed that "Capitalism tends to destroy its two sources of wealth: nature and human beings". I do agree with the view that he held human-exemptionalist views, though, and it is possible that there is a difference between the term "intrinsic value" as used by the author and Marx's "wealth", so it's probably no big deal.
October 10, 2019
Amazing! It took me almost exactly two years to finish this text, but I am grateful that I did. I first purchased it as a requirement for my undergraduate Environmental Sociology course. After the course finished I chose to continue reading it. A few chapters I thoroughly enjoyed are: “The Social Construction of Nature: Of Computers, Butterflies, Dogs, and Trucks,” “Theories in Environmental Sociology,” “Corporate Power: The Role of the Global Media in Shaping What We Know About the Environment,” and “From Farms to Factories: The Social and Environmental Consequences of Industrial Swine Production in North Carolina.” I would recommend reading it over a long period of time because it can be rather depressing, but at the same time it is very thought-provoking. Ultimately it really inspired me to reflect upon my position in society and how my lifestyle impacts the environment. Environmental issues are for the most part systemic, but I am glad that I have a deeper understanding of human social organization in connection to nature. I would suggest this book for people who are just starting to look into environmental sociology or as a reference book.
March 5, 2023
in terms of big bad survey books, this one is pretty good! the quality varies from writer to writer but was sometimes genuinely surprised by how far many of these academics were willing to push the discipline in both theoretical and tangible directions. good read if you need a refresh of concepts, which i kinda did.
June 1, 2021
Excellent collection of readings on various facets of environmental sociology. I remember a handful of these from TAing this course over a decade ago and wonder if the professor just pulled lectures straight out of this book...!
February 17, 2025
Great book for Environmental Sociology. Read many chapters in this book. (Did not read the whole thing). Had a ton of useful information and was easy to read. I struggle with reading informative books and this one was easy and kept my interest. Butttt, Im glad I'm done with this book hahah
December 23, 2022
Great text for my Geography People and the Environment class
June 21, 2024
it was a good introductory book!
January 25, 2013
The book offers a great overview of the main issues in Environmental Sociology. Because it is written with uninitiated undergraduates in mind, it suffers from a lack of depth and complexity. Great for those with little knowledge of the field (and possibly great as a text book) but not great for scholars or more advanced readers.
May 22, 2016
Really interesting. Read preface, ch 1-10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews