MA SOCIOLOGY P-XII SOCIOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENT Sucharita Mishra Unit-I Environmental Sociology: 1.0 Man and Environment 1.1 Impact of Human Activities on Environment: 1.2 Meaning of Environmental Sociology 1.3 Sociological Perspectives on Environment 1.3.1 The Realist Approach 1.3.2 The Constructionist Approach 1.3.3 The Reformist Approach 1.4 Environmental Sociology as a Field of Enquiry 1.5 The Rise of Environment in Sociological Theory 1.6 Emergence of an Environmental Sociology 1.7 Resurgence of Environmental Sociology 1.8 Environmental Concerns and Social Sciences in India 1.9 Conclusion 1.10 Model Questions Unit-I Environmental Sociology Introduction 1.0 Man and Environment: Environment can be defined as the sum total of materials and forces surrounding the living organism. Gisbert defined environment as “anything immediately surrounding an object and exerting a direct influence on it.” It is the sum total of conditions that surrounds us at a given point at space and time. Thus, environment is comprised of the interacting systems of physical, biological and cultural elements and these are interlinked individually and collectively in various ways. The word environment is derived from the French verb ‘environer’ which means to ‘encircle or surround.’ Thus our environment can be defined as the physical, chemical and biological world that surround as well as the complex of social and cultural affecting an individual or community. This broad definition includes the natural world and the technological environment as well as the cultural and social context that shape human lives. It includes all factors living and non living that affect an individual organism or population at any point in the life cycle. Set of circumstances surrounding a particular occurrence and all the things that surround us. It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach and its components include biology, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, sociology, health sciences, anthropology, economics, statistics and philosophy. .Environmental science is a Interdisciplinary subject which deals with each and every aspect of life i.e. related with us. It requires the knowledge of various other subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, micro-biology, bio-chemistry, geology, economics, law, sociology etc. Environmental science integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems. Environmental science provides an integrated, quantitative, approach to the study of environmental systems. Related areas of study include environmental studies and environmental engineering. Environmental studies incorporate more of the social sciences for understanding human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. Environmental engineering focuses on design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect. Environmental scientists work on subjects like the understanding of earth processes, evaluating alternative energy systems, pollution control and mitigation, natural resource management, and the effects of global climate change. Environmental issues almost always include an interaction of physical, chemical, biological and socio-cultural processes. Environmental scientists bring a systems approach to the analysis of environmental problems. Environmental science came alive as a substantive, active field of scientific investigation in the 1960s and 1970s driven by (a) the need for a multi- disciplinary approach to analyze complex environmental problems, (b) the arrival of substantive environmental laws requiring specific environmental protocols of investigation and (c) the growing public awareness of a need for action in addressing environmental problems. It is a relatively new field of study which has evolved from integrated use of many disciplines. It creates awareness and understanding of environmental concepts which may be scientific, social and ecological systems thereby providing a platform for solution to various environmental problems. Environment regulates the life of the organisms including human beings. Man being the most intelligent creature, interacts with the environment more vigorously than does any other organism. There is no end to human needs. With the growth of human civilization, there has been an exponential increase in the demands for materials. As a result, man has started exploiting nature mercilessly to meet the demands of his comfort and to feed the mouths of increased population. Though deterioration of environmental condition is brought about by extreme events like natural catastrophes and calamities, man-made hazards, physical pollution and social pollution, man has a major role in it. The earth has only a certain amount of air, water, soil, raw materials and minerals- the natural resources. But these resources are being recklessly exploited, consumed or wasted. It is feared that many of these non-renewable resources will be exhausted soon. It is impossible to replace or recreate fuels like coal, gas and oil. Thus, we human beings, exploit, alter, destroy and pollute the environment around us. But as a rational and social creature we also realize the importance of environment and hence make efforts for its conservation or protection in order to ensure for ourselves a healthy and comfortable living. 1.1 Impact of Human Activities on Environment: Man is the most intelligent animal on the surface of the earth. Intelligence and creativity have led man to discover, to invent, to manipulate, to exploit, to construct and also to destroy things around him. Civilization and rapid growth of human population have engaged man in various activities- both constructive and destructive. But the outcomes of most of the human activities have contributed significantly to the degradation of the environment around us. Human activities have given rise to problems like urbanization, deforestation, and increased consumption of natural resources, production of solid, liquid and gaseous wastes, ground water depletion, production of toxic substances, extinction of wild life, soil erosion as well as environmental pollution. 1.2 Meaning of Environmental Sociology The association between societal well-being and environmental quality is increasingly becoming a topic of sociological interest. Environmental sociology is a sub discipline within the field of sociology that studies of the interactions between the physical environment, social organization, and social behavior. Environmental sociologists typically place special emphasis on studying the social factors that cause environmental problems, the societal impacts of those problems, and efforts to solve the problems. They also look at the social processes by which certain environmental conditions become socially defined as problems. For instance, environmental sociologists aim to understand environmentalism as a social movement, the ways in which members of society perceive environmental problems, and the origins of human-induced environmental decline. Another area of environmental sociological research is the unequal distribution of environmental hazards. These researchers examine the process by which socially disadvantaged populations come to experience greater exposures to various environmental hazards, including natural disasters. Sociology of the environment is a new field of sociology that has developed in relation to people’s growing concern about environmental issues. It has a dual focus. On the one hand it deals with the ways in which people in society relate to the natural world. On the other hand it deals with ‘environmentalism’ as a social movement; the development of concern about the environment and the social context of actions about the environment. It could be argued that the way people relate to the natural world has always been a concern of sociologists. When Karl Marx talks about ‘production’ he is talking about a relationship between workers and the natural objects they work up as products. Anthropologists have always believed that natural objects have symbolic significance and this approach can also be used by sociologists. What is the social meaning of the kangaroo, for example? The environmentalist movement as a topic of sociology can be related to the growing concern with environmental problems. The birth of the movement is normally dated to the publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson in 1962, a book which documented the effect of toxic pesticides on birds and other animals. The ‘hippy’ movement that developed later in the 1960s was the first large-scale popular subculture to develop themes from environmentalism. The technical definition of environmental sociology is the sociological study of how humans interact with the various aspects of the environment. In other words; how people treat the various aspects of the environment such as pollution, conservation and recycling. This type of study is one that is vital when it comes to helping find better ways for both nature and mankind to interact, propagate and thrive. There are two schools of thought when it comes to environmental sociology; constructivism and realism. The constructivist’s tend to be those individuals who develop ways that will help to improve the environment, however, they do tend to be on the more extremist side in their methods. The realists are those who want to help find the solutions needed to improve the environment. The association between societal well-being and environmental quality is an important topic