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Sustainability and Environmental Sociology: Putting the Economy in its Place and Moving Toward an Integrative Socio-Ecology

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  • Stefano B. Longo

    (Department of Sociology and Anthropology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

  • Brett Clark

    (Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA)

  • Thomas E. Shriver

    (Department of Sociology and Anthropology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

  • Rebecca Clausen

    (Department of Sociology, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO 81301, USA)

Abstract

The vague, yet undoubtedly desirable, notion of sustainability has been discussed and debated by many natural and social scientists. We argue that mainstream conceptions of sustainability, and the related concept of sustainable development, are mired in a “pre-analytic vision” that naturalizes capitalist social relations, closes off important questions regarding economic growth, and thus limits the potential for an integrative socio-ecological analysis. Theoretical and empirical research within environmental sociology provides key insights to overcome the aforementioned problems, whereby the social, historical, and environmental relationships associated with the tendencies and qualities of the dominant economic system are analyzed. We highlight how several environmental sociology perspectives—such as human ecology, the treadmill of production, and metabolic analysis—can serve as the basis for a more integrative socio-ecological conception and can help advance the field of sustainability science.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefano B. Longo & Brett Clark & Thomas E. Shriver & Rebecca Clausen, 2016. "Sustainability and Environmental Sociology: Putting the Economy in its Place and Moving Toward an Integrative Socio-Ecology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:5:p:437-:d:69338
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Md Saidul Islam, 2017. "Sustainability through the Lens of Environmental Sociology: An Introduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-11, March.
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    4. Indra Morandín-Ahuerma & Armando Contreras-Hernández & Dante Ariel Ayala-Ortiz & Octavio Pérez-Maqueo, 2019. "Socio–Ecosystemic Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-26, June.
    5. Brian M. Napoletano & Brett Clark & John Bellamy Foster & Pedro S. Urquijo, 2020. "Sustainability and Metabolic Revolution in the Works of Henri Lefebvre," World, MDPI, vol. 1(3), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Maria Nicolae & Mirela Gabriela Sohaciu & Ruxandra Dumitrescu & Sorin Ciucă & Avram Nicolae, 2022. "Vectors of Sustainable Development and Global Knowledge in the Metallic Materials Industry in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-12, August.
    7. Jonathan R. Barton & Felipe Gutiérrez-Antinopai, 2020. "Towards a Visual Typology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-19, September.
    8. Ryan Gunderson & Brian Petersen & Diana Stuart, 2018. "A Critical Examination of Geoengineering: Economic and Technological Rationality in Social Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, January.

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