Читать книгу Sociology - Anthony Giddens - Страница 271

1 What evidence is there against the idea of human exemptionalism? If human beings are part of the natural world, why do we need a distinct social science to study their actions and societies?

2 Using one example from the chapter, show what social constructionism brings to our understanding of the issue. Constructionism is often said to be agnostic towards the reality of environmental problems. How might this help or hinder our understanding of global warming?

3 In what ways do critical realist studies add something over and above social constructionist accounts? How could realism and constructionism be combined in environmental sociology?

4 What is a manufactured risk? Using examples from the chapter, compare manufactured with natural risks, bringing out their key differences.

5 What are the main arguments in favour of the genetic modification of food? Why have these products been routinely rejected in Europe?

6 Environmental campaigners called for governments around the world to declare a ‘climate emergency’ following the IPCC’s 2018 report on global warming. How can sociologists contribute to our understanding of climate change and the policies aimed at decarbonizing society?

7 What is the ‘treadmill of production and consumption’, and what are its main environmental consequences for a) developed countries and b) developing countries?

8 In what practical ways do sustainable development initiatives differ from mainstream economic development? Is the concept better suited to the industrialized countries than to developing ones?

9 What is meant by ‘ecological modernization’? Which aspects of this perspective are more likely to be adopted by governments and which are likely to be dismissed? Is ecological modernization essentially just a series of linked technological fixes?

10 How might the concept of environmental justice hinder attempts to tackle the ‘climate emergency’? Can people be expected to become good ecological citizens without a shift towards environmental justice?