Sociology, Environmentalism, Globalization: Reinventing the Globe: v. 1 (BSA New Horizons in Sociology) Book

This concise, authoritative book brings together the sociologies of globalization and of the environment in one readable volume. Steven Yearley argues that environmental issues have received scant attention in the general debate on globalization even though environmentalists have been very successful in capturing the language and imagery of the globe. That both pressure groups and policy makers are now calling for `global environmental change' implies that the problems are global in nature and that any adequate response requires common global action.Yearley is critical of both assumptions. He contends that various forces are combining to produce fragmentation instead of unity. There are competing visions of the globe's needs and of its proper future direction. Even the most global environmental problems, such as ozone depletion and climate change, do not have globally uniform consequences. Furthermore, many commentators in the developing world are highly suspicious of the concept `the global interest', believing that the term is simply used as a cover for the self-interests of the North. Yearley argues that we cannot understand the globalization of environmental concerns unless we first understand how global issues are constructed, negotiated and reworked.Written by one of the leading commentators in the field, the book makes a major contribution to our understanding of globalization. It not only demonstrates the insights that sociology can bring to world-wide environmental problems, it also tests and extends globalization theory. It will be essential reading for students of social theory, globalization and the environment.Read More