SOCIOLOGY OF NATURAL RESOURCES

AND THE ENVIRONMENT

RSOC 0565/0665

INSTRUCTOR: Joseph J. Molnar

301 Comer Hall

Office Hours 8:30-4:30 daily jmolnar@acesag.auburn.edu

DESCRIPTION:

Changing attitudes and institutional responses to the use and exploitation of nature resources Conservation, preservation, and pollution control are treated as threats primary sources of environmental concern in American society. Global trends in population growth energy availability and environmental degradation are examined.

Ian Barbour. 1980. Technology, Environment, and Human

Values. New York Praeger.

Gerard Piel. 1992. Only One World: Our Own to Make and to Keep.

New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Additional readings as assigned.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To place environmental problems and values in a social context and perspective.

2. To review sociological approaches to human-environment relations.

3. To identify the central institutional structures regulating the use of resources and the control of pollution. To examine the institutional and value conflicts and associated with selected environmental problems.

Each student will assume leadership for a portion of a class session during the course of the quarter.

EVALUATION:

Participation/presentation

Paper/book review

Two midterms and final examination (essay)

BOOK REVIEW

Each undergraduate student will present a book review to the class, The book selected should exemplify a central piece of research, theory, or analysis under one of the weekly topics.

The reviewer will provide the rest of the class with an outline or other summary material to accompany his or her presentation. A written statement of choice is due October 21. A 3-5 page draft paper is due November 18, final copy the last day of class. Grammar and spelling do enter into my evaluation.

PAPER

Each graduate student will prepare and present an original paper synthesizing the central concern and considerations relative to a selected environmental problem or resource-use issue. The paper also may take the form of an extended review essay that focuses on the impact of a particular book on environmental thinking politics or legislative action. Published reviews and other reaction to the book would be summarized. Historical origins, technological developments,

human impacts, relevant class/group conflicts, administrative

responses the history of an actual or pending piece of legislation, current state of the problem, and possible future scenarios might be addressed. Title and topic outline is due October 21. A 10-11 page draft paper is due November 18, final the last day of class.

SEMINAR FORMAT

The success of a seminar depends primarily on the interest and

participation of the participants. Therefore it is imperative that we keep abreast of the readings and attend all class meetings.

SELECTED JOURNALS

Title Call Number Floor

American Journal of Sociology HM1.A7 3N

American Sociological Review HM1.A75 3N

Annals. of Am. Ac. of Pol. & Soc.l Science H1.A41 3N

Environment (f)TD172.E58 4N/S

Environment and Behavior HM206.E5 3N

Environmental Reporter

Journal of Environmental Education S946.E54 4N

Journal of Leisure Research GV1.56 3N

Journal of Rural Studies HT401.J68

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (f)S622.56 4S

Natural Resource Journal HC101.A1N 3N

Pacific Sociological Review (f)HM1.P33 3S

Public Opinion Quarterly HM261.A1P8 3N

Rural Sociology HT401.R8 3N

Science (f)Q1.XS35 4N

Social Forces HN51.S5 3N

Sociological Quarterly HM1.S69 3N

Water Resources Research TC423.W32 4N/S

COURSE SCHEDULE

WEEK- topic

9/30 The Global Condition

Barbour 1 - The Hard Choices

Barbour 2 - Attitudes Toward Nature

Piel 1 Biology and Humanity

Piel 2 The Biosphere

10/4 Environmental Values

Barbour 3 - Attitudes Toward Technology

Barbour 4 - Human Values

Barbour 5 - Environmental Values

Piel 3 The Human Condition

10/11 Resource and Environmental Decision-Making

Barbour 6 - Political Processes

EXAM during following week

10/18 Pollution

Barbour 7 - Pollution and Land Use

Barbour 8 - Costs, Benefits, and Risks

Barbour 9 - Assessment Methods

10/25 Energy

Piel 4 Energy

Barbour 10 - Energy Options

11/1 Food and Population Growth

Barbour 11 -- Food and Agriculture

Piel 5 Agricultural Revolution

EXAM during following week

11/8 Moving toward a New Century

Piel 6 Industrial Revolution

11/15 Human Development, Equity, and Sustainability

Piel 7 Human Development

Draft Papers Due 11/18

11/22 Resources and Growth

Barbour 12 - Resources and Growth

11/29 Overview & Presentations

12/6Prospects for Change

Barbour 13 - New Directions

Completed Papers Due 12/9

FINAL EXAM according to published schedule