Environmental Sociology

By Dr. Satyapriya Rout | University of Hyderabad

Learners enrolled: 1111

Course Description:

The course "Environmental Sociology" aims to provide the students with a comprehensive conceptual, theoretical and empirical background to the interaction between social and natural world, by way of highlighting issues related to environment, sustainable development and resource governance. Human societies throughout history have shared an intrinsic relation with nature. Environmental factors always shape social phenomena, and human societies inevitably alter natural environment. In this broader context, this course aims to explore the relationship between human society and the larger natural environment, of which it is a part of. It is now acknowledged that environmental issues are inevitably social issues, and these can be understood by an examination of their social roots. The course, therefore, attempts to understand the social roots of ecological problems, and to unveil the social responses to the environmental problems. Besides, it examines the emergence of the concept of sustainable development, environmental conflicts and movements, and various approaches to resource use and varied responses to environmental risks. While attempting to understand the relationship between social world and natural world, it explores important theoretical perspectives like Ecological Modernisation, Treadmill of Production, Risk Society Thesis and Eco-philosophies. The course gives due importance to environmental issues, concerns and debates that have emerged in India in recent years, and discusses the environmental history and the rise of environmentalism in India.

Course Objective

The course aims to provide the students with a sound conceptual, theoretical and empirical background to the issues of environment, sustainable development and resource management; and prepare them for further research in the area.

Course Learning Outcomes

After completion of the course, the students will be able to:

Explain the main concepts, theories, debates and empirical practices on the interaction between environment and society.
Differentiate between different paradigms and discourses on nature and its use by society
Describe current theoretical and empirical debate on environmental movements and sustainable resource management practices
Evaluate policies and practices concerning environmental governance and sustainable development.
Appropriately apply different theories and methodologies of research in different contexts relevant to environment and sustainable development

Summary

Course Status :	Completed
Course Type :	Elective
Duration :	15 weeks
Category :	Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit Points :	4
Level :	Postgraduate
Start Date :	09 Aug 2021
End Date :	14 Nov 2021
Enrollment Ends :	15 Sep 2021
Exam Date :	21 Nov 2021 IST

Note: This exam date is subjected to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

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Course layout

Week 1:

Introductory module to Environmental Sociology Course;
Emergence of Environmental Sociology I – Sociology’s Response to Environmental Issues;
Emergence of Environmental Sociology II – Subject Matter and Recent Trends in Environmental Sociology

Week 2:

An Ecological Critique of Sociology
Paradigms and Perspectives in Environmental Sociology
New Directions in Environmental Sociology

Week 3:

Environment in Classical Sociological Tradition
Environmetnal Sociology in India

Week 4:

Introduction to Theoretical Approaches in Environmental Sociology
Realism vs. Constructivism Debate
The Environmental Discourse

Week 5:

Eco-Philosophies: Deep, Social and Feminist
Treadmill of Production
Ecological Modernisation Theory

Week 6:

Ecological Modernisation as Social Theory
The Risk Society Thesis
Living and Coping with World Risk Society

Week 7:

Environmentalism Around the World: Past and Present
Multiple Environmentalisms: Material and Post-material concerns

Week 8:

Contemporary Environmental Movements
Environmental Movements in Global and Local Perspectives

Week 9:

New Social Movements and the Environmental Concerns
Political Ecology and Environmental Movements

Week 10:

Environmentalism and Environmental Movement in India;
Ideological Trends in Indian Environmentalism

Week 11:

Environmental History: Concept, Themes and Issues
Environmental History of India

Week 12:

Resource, Property and Resource Governance Regimes
Governing Common Pool Resources
Collective Action for Governing the Commons: Theoretical Approaches

Week 13:

Governing Forests as Common Property
Governing Water as Common Property
Common Property Regimes in India

Week 14:

The Concept of Sustainability
Environment and Sustainable Development
Environmental Democracy and Climate Change

Week 15:

Environmental Justice;
Gender and Environmental Debate - I;
Gender and Environmental Debate – II (Feminist Political Ecology)

Summary and Conclusion of the Course

Books and references

Few Relevant Textbooks on Environmental Sociology

1. Bell, Michael Mayerfeld. 2004. An Invitation to Environmental Sociology. Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press.

2. Gould, Kenneth Alan and Tammy L Lewis. 2009. Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology. New York: Oxford University Press.

3. Dunlap, R.; Frederick H. Buttel, Peter Dickens and August Gijswijt. (Ed.) 2002. Sociological Theory and the Environment: Classical Foundations, Contemporary Insights. Boston: Rowman& Littlefield.

4. Hanningan, John. 1996. Environmental Sociology. Oxan: Routledge.

5. Hanningan, John. 2006. Environmental Sociology: A Social Constructionist Perspective. Oxan: Routledge.

6. Barry, John. 1999. Environment and Social Theory. Oxan: Routledge.

Instructor bio

Dr. Satyapriya Rout

University of Hyderabad

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Dr. Satyapriya Rout is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Hyderabad (UoH), Hyderabad, where he is teaching since August 2006. Prior to joining UoH, he worked as Lecturer in Sociology at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi from February 2004 to August 2006. At UoH, he teaches courses like Environmental Sociology, Sociology of Development, and Contemporary Development Issues.

Dr. Rout's areas of research interest broadly include environment and natural resource governance, environmental movements, decentralised governance and development. While inquiring into the question of community’s engagement with governance of natural resources, his research focuses upon forest and water.

Dr. Rout was awarded Sir Ratan Tata Visiting Fellowship for his post-doctoral research at Asia Research Centre, London School of Economics & Political Science, London, UK during October 2012 - June 2013. He was also awarded UKIERI visiting fellowship at LSE, London, UK (2015 - 16); SSPS-IASH visiting fellowship at University of Edinburgh, UK (2014); ICSSR-NRCT Indo-Thai visiting fellowship (2011); Legal Pluralism visiting fellowship at University of Neuchatel, Switzerland (2009).

His most recent publications are:

[2019] Social Inequality and Access to Water: Equity, Sustainability and Participation in Rhetorics of Drinking Water Reforms in India. New Delhi: Serials Publication.
[2018] 'Sustaining South-east Asia's Forests: Community, Institution and Forest Governance in Thailand'. Millennial Asia (Sage Publications). 9 (2): 140 - 161.
[2018] 'Gendered participation in community forest governance in India', Contemporary Social Science: Journal of Academy of Social Sciences, UK (Taylor & Francis, UK). 13 (1): 72 - 84.

Course certificate

The course is of 4 credits. The assessment pattern of the course includes continuous assessment of 30 marks and end-semester examination of 70 marks. Students who successfully complete the course requirements will receive the Certificate from University of Hyderabad and SWAYAM. The credits can be used as part of the CBCS courses at various Indian Universities.

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