Environmental Sociology and Social Transformation

Magnus Boström is Professor of Sociology at Örebro University, Sweden, with expertise in environmental sociology and the sociology of consumption. His current research focuses on the social drivers behind unsustainable mass consumption, as well as the conditions for lifestyle change and more collective ways of sharing resources.Rolf Lidskog is Professor of Sociology at Örebro University, Sweden, with expertise in environmental sociology, environmental politics, and risk regulation. He is currently conducting research on international environmental governance, focusing on its conditions and the role of expertise.

“This book, written by two of the most important scholars in the environmental social sciences today, could not be more timely. Breaking down the social mechanisms that shape processes of change in our socio-ecological relations, and written in an accessible manner, this book has something for students, seasoned researchers, and concerned publics alike. Rather than hand waving about the monstrous environmental and climate crises we face, Environmental Sociology and Social Transformation invites readers to roll up their sleeves and get to work.”Debra Davidson, University of Alberta, Canada“This imaginative and important book brings sociological critique and transformative change together. Boström and Lidskog explain how environmental problems are societal problems – with social causes and social solutions. A useful text for students, activists and policy makers seeking to understand and solve our most pressing global issues.”Jo Lindsay, Monash University, Australia“This book is a remarkable addition to environmental sociology debates, stressing the need to understand society's role in contemporary ecological challenges. By superbly presenting the ‘five facets of the social’ it unravels the complexities of our civilizational crisis and provides a compass for just social transformation. This contribution is pertinent to audiences worldwide.”Llewellyn Leonard, University of South Africa“In this volume, Boström and Lidskog offer a wide-ranging and accessible overview of the diverse perspectives and key concepts that show why a sociological lens is so vital for understanding environmental issues, impacts and solutions. By consistently making the connections between everyday practices and more global phenomena and issues, this is an ideal book to help students navigate the complex ways in which “global” environmental problems are intertwined with our everyday lives.”Mark C.J. Stoddart, Memorial University, Canada “As the environmental crisis becomes increasingly worrisome and encompassing, this book offers an invaluable compass for navigating its many facets, making sense of its social causes and possible solutions.”Luigi Pellizzoni, University of Pisa, Italy “Without understanding society, we cannot properly address the environmental crisis we are facing today. That is where sociological theory comes in, and also this well-written book. It will be a very enlightening work for scholars and students seeking to learn about the environmental crisis and what we can do about it.”Saburo Horikawa, Hosei University, Japan, and President, the Japanese Association for Environmental Sociology“In response to escalating planetary crisis, Boström and Lidskog urgently explore the imperative for profound social transformation, employing sociological theory to dissect environmental challenges. This eloquently written book is a tour de force that will shape the academic and policy discourse for years to come.”Audronė Telešienė, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania

• Chapter 1. Crisis: The need for social transformationThe five facets of the socialAre we facing a civilizational crisis?Social transformationThe five thematic issues of the bookReferencesChapter 2. Causes: The social roots of environmental problemsMacrosocial explanations: What has caused the current environmental situation?Microsocial explanations: Why don’t we live in an ecologically sustainable way?Meso-social explanationsA question of powerConclusionQuestions for reflection and discussionReferencesChapter 3. Distributions: The social spread of environmental problemsSocial stratification: Class, gender, ethnicityEnvironmental (in)justiceHow inequality causes environmental problems and prevents actionConclusionReferencesChapter 4. Understandings: The social sense-making of environmental problemsFrom fact-finding to sense-makingStorylines and frames: Making environmental issues meaningfulClaims and counterclaims in environmental storylines and politicsConclusionReferencesChapter 5. Barriers: Social resistance through inadequate solutionsBarriers to transformationPiecemeal solutions and the problem-solving mindsetTen critical questions to reveal inadequate solutionsConclusionReferencesChapter 6. Transformation: Ways of changing societyWhat does transformation mean?Social transformation and the five facets of the socialA final wordReferences