Environmental Sociology

[cigrainger]

I know there's not really 'environmental sociology' per se, but could you guys recommend some prominent scholars at top schools who deal with environmental issues? I'm interested in the effects and culture of decarbonisation, social construction of disaster, and conceptions of 'nature'. Thanks for your help.

And if you have book recommendations, throw them my way. Cheers!

[socspice]

Liam Downey at Colorado-Boulder. In fact, CU has a number of environmental folks and would be a great place to do environmental sociology.

[ducksoup]

Social construction of diaster: Check out the University of Delaware. There is the Disaster Research Center. Or UC Boulder has the Natural Hazards Center.

[cigrainger]

Thanks guys! I should also mention I'm interested in urban sociology and spatial stratification. I'm just as interested in the built environment as the natural environment.

[cigrainger]

Liam Downey seems to be doing pretty much exactly what interests me. Is there anyone else out there doing this kind of stuff?

[socspice]

The "Environment and Technology" section of the ASA has graduate programs that specialize in environmental sociology on their website:

http://envirosoc.org/gradprograms.php

You could also look up the faculty who won that section's "distinguished contribution" award:

http://envirosoc.org/awards.php

• 2011 Andrew Szasz - University of California, Santa Cruz
  
• 2009 Harvey Molotch - New York University
  
• 2008 J. Timmons Roberts - College of William and Mary
  
• 2007 Robert Gramling (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and Penelope Canan (University of Central Florida)
  
• 2006 Phil Brown - Brown University
  
• 2005 Lee Clarke - Rutgers University
  
• 2004 Steve Kroll-Smith - University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  
• 2003 Craig Humphrey - The Pennsylvania State University
  
• 2002 John Bellamy Foster - University of Oregon
  

[herbertmarcuse]

Have you seen the Film HOME?

[cigrainger]

Thanks a lot socspice - that was really helpful. I was really hoping to see some more top, urban-situated universities on that list. Need to find someone to work with in a good sized city with a university that has a good MPP program for the wife!

herbertmarcuse, I've not seen it. Should I?

[herbertmarcuse]

Yes...If you plan on focusing on environmental sociology I recommend this film to get you started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU&feature=watch-now-button&wide=1

Enjoy,

[noodles.galaznik]

If you're interested in environmental sociology, check out University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Lots of environmental soc scholars here.

[sociologo]

If you're interested in environmental sociology, check out University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Lots of environmental soc scholars here.

I'll be seeing you in the fall

[noodles.galaznik]

I'll be seeing you in the fall

Hey, coolio! Feel free to message me!

[Illusio80]

I don't think anyone mentioned the University of Minnesota. It's a good all-around department with a strong area in environmental sociology. Check out Michael Goldman, Lisa Sun-Hee Park, David Pellow, and Rachel Shurman. I can't exactly speak to the specific topics you listed though. I've taken a couple courses in the department as a student in a professional masters program and had the opportunity to meet Lisa Sun-Hee Park, who is friendly.

[ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid]

I'm echoing what others said, check out Boulder

Plus, Colorado is beautiful.

[jacib]

I don't fully know exactly what you mean by built environment as natural environment (I can imagine that meaning several things) but I can say one of the biggest names in environmental sociology is Michael M Bell at Madison. He literally wrote the book on the subject (An Invitation to Environmental Sociology) and his first book, Childerly, is a lot about the question of how people define and understand nature.

At NYU, Moloch and Jerrolmack's work might interest you. Maybe maybe Klinenberg's work on disaster is for you as well. You could certainly sell yourself as a fit there if you were inclined to.

It also might make sense to sell yourself at some places as an urban sociologist interested in environmental sociology rather than an environmental sociologist interested in urban environments. If you're passionate about something, you can often teach yourself most of the niche stuff anyway (I'm doing sociology of religion in a department where there are no real sociologists of religion to train me, but plenty of people backing me up on my other interests, which actually works out pretty well).

Edited September 11, 2012 by jacib