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Sociology for sustainability science

Longo, Stefano LU ; Isgren, Ellinor LU ; Clark, Brett ; Jorgenson, Andrew K. ; Jerneck, Anne LU ; Olsson, Lennart LU ; Kelly, Orla M. ; Harnesk, David LU and York, Richard (2021) In Discover Sustainability 2.
Abstract
Sociological insights are often underutilized in sustainability science. To further strengthen its commitment to interdisciplinary problem-driven, solutions-oriented research, sustainability science can better incorporate fundamental sociological conceptions into its core. We highlight four aspects of sociological thought that we consider crucial for advancing sustainability science research: (1) social construction and critical realism, (2) structure and agency, (3) historical specificity, and (4) collective action. We draw on examples from sociology to support a dynamic understanding of how social relations interact with the bio-geo-physical world. This necessary integration of sociological insights, we argue, is critical to generate... (More)
Sociological insights are often underutilized in sustainability science. To further strengthen its commitment to interdisciplinary problem-driven, solutions-oriented research, sustainability science can better incorporate fundamental sociological conceptions into its core. We highlight four aspects of sociological thought that we consider crucial for advancing sustainability science research: (1) social construction and critical realism, (2) structure and agency, (3) historical specificity, and (4) collective action. We draw on examples from sociology to support a dynamic understanding of how social relations interact with the bio-geo-physical world. This necessary integration of sociological insights, we argue, is critical to generate comprehensive assessments of the causes and consequences of human-induced environmental change, and tend to be overlooked or oversimplified within the field of sustainability science. Beyond that, it can stimulate the development and implementation of viable solutions to sustainability challenges. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Critical realism, Social structure, Collective action, Social relations, Environmental sociology
in
Discover Sustainability
volume
2
article number
47
pages
14 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85119986471
ISSN
2662-9984
DOI
10.1007/s43621-021-00056-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4d7a762d-4739-4128-8ada-f37c79f31526
date added to LUP
2021-10-29 11:35:15
date last changed
2023-06-12 04:02:27
@article{4d7a762d-4739-4128-8ada-f37c79f31526,
  abstract     = {{Sociological insights are often underutilized in sustainability science. To further strengthen its commitment to interdisciplinary problem-driven, solutions-oriented research, sustainability science can better incorporate fundamental sociological conceptions into its core. We highlight four aspects of sociological thought that we consider crucial for advancing sustainability science research: (1) social construction and critical realism, (2) structure and agency, (3) historical specificity, and (4) collective action. We draw on examples from sociology to support a dynamic understanding of how social relations interact with the bio-geo-physical world. This necessary integration of sociological insights, we argue, is critical to generate comprehensive assessments of the causes and consequences of human-induced environmental change, and tend to be overlooked or oversimplified within the field of sustainability science. Beyond that, it can stimulate the development and implementation of viable solutions to sustainability challenges.}},
  author       = {{Longo, Stefano and Isgren, Ellinor and Clark, Brett and Jorgenson, Andrew K. and Jerneck, Anne and Olsson, Lennart and Kelly, Orla M. and Harnesk, David and York, Richard}},
  issn         = {{2662-9984}},
  keywords     = {{Critical realism; Social structure; Collective action; Social relations; Environmental sociology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Discover Sustainability}},
  title        = {{Sociology for sustainability science}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s43621-021-00056-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s43621-021-00056-5}},
  volume       = {{2}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}