Graham Woodgate

From a 'sociology of nature' to environmental sociology: Beyond social construction

This paper aims to provide some theoretical starting points for constructing a social science approach to environmental issues which goes beyond narrower forms of constructivism without dismissing the importance of interpretative sociology. An ecological understanding of society is compared with the notion of structuration and integrated into the concept of coevolution in order to shed light on the dynamic nature of socioenvironmental relations and move beyond the constructivist/realist dualism.

Agroecology: Foundations in Agrarian Social Thought and Sociological Theory

This article examines the origins and impacts of agricultural modernization to reveal the social foundations of agroecology as both scientific discipline and agrarian social movement. The impacts of capitalism on rural societies have provided a focus for social thought and mobilization since the 1800s and so we consider some of the competing discourses that have accompanied the development of industrial agriculture. We also reflect on the emergence of modern environmental concern and how growing preoccupation with the negative impacts of industrialization has prompted radical proposals for the reformulation of longstanding sociological assumptions and approaches to agricultural and rural development.

The International Handbook of Environmental Sociology, Second Edition

The second edition of The International Handbook of Environmental Sociology is a major interdisciplinary reference work consisting of 26 original essays. The authors are leading scholars, many of whom are intimately involved in national, regional or global environmental policy processes. Their essays mark changes and continuities in the field of environmental sociology, drawing attention to the theoretical debates and substantive concerns of today. As well as providing an assessment of the scope and content of environmental sociology, this Handbook sets out the intellectual and practical challenges posed by the urgent need for policy and action to address accelerating environmental change.