While concerns about protecting the natural world have a long heritage, contemporary environmentalism only emerged in the late 1960s. This module analyses what is meant by environmentalism, considers social explanations for the rise of environmentalism and analyses the shape of the contemporary environmental movement.

·         To provide an overview of sociological explanations of environmentalism

·         To apply the sociology of social movements to understand environmentalism

·         To develop an understanding of the social factors that inform environmental values and practices

On completion of this module students should:

·         Have a critical understanding of different variants of environmentalism

·         Have an overview of contemporary environmental  politics

·         Be able to develop sociological analyses of the environmental movement

• Have a critical appreciation of environmental knowledges and practices

·         Environmentalism- different shades of green

·         Social explanations for the rise of environmentalism

·         A new social movement?

·         The distribution of environmental values, attitudes and behaviours

·         Environmental groups

·         Environmental knowledge: experts and publics

·         Media coverage of  the environment

11 lectures and 11 seminars

Weekly reading and seminar preparation

Dobson, A. (1990) Green Political Thought: An Introduction London:Routledge

Carter, N. (2001) The politics of the environment: Ideas, activism, policy Cambridge University Press

Cudworth, E. (2002) Environment and Society London: Routledge

Diani, M. & Della Porta, D. (1999) Social Movements: An Introduction Blackwell

Jackson, T. (ed) (2006) The Earthscan Reader in Sustainable Consumption Earthscan

Jordan, G. & Maloney, W. (1997) The Protest Business?: Mobilizing Campaign Groups  Manchester University Press.

Sutton, P. (2007) The Environment: a Sociological Introduction  Polity Press