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Review
"Urry challenges sociologists to entertain the social blockages to coming to terms with climate change, social costs of not doing so, and major social rearrangements entailed by a genuine, Copernican ecological turn."
American Journal of Sociology
American Journal of Sociology
"A must read for those interested in or working on climate change research and policy making."
Choice
"A tour de force! Urry shows the centrality of the social – both to comprehend the meaning of the carbon catastrophe that besets us and, thereby, to discover the possibility of a post–carbon society. Essential reading for all."
Michael Burawoy, University of California, Berkeley
"Climate change will effect more than the environment. It will change social institutions as well. In addition to economic science and to the environmental sciences, John Urry gives us insights from the social sciences. It is urgent that we pay attention."
David Stark, Columbia University, author of The Sense of Dissonance: Accounts of Worth in Economic Life
Product Description
This book explores the significance of human behaviour to understanding the causes and impacts of changing climates and to assessing varied ways of responding to such changes. So far the discipline that has represented and modelled such human behaviour is economics.
By contrast Climate Change and Society tries to place the ‘social’ at the heart of both the analysis of climates and of the assessment of alternative futures. It demonstrates the importance of social practices organised into systems. In the fateful twentieth century various interlocking high carbon systems were established. This sedimented high carbon social practices, engendering huge population growth, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and the potentially declining availability of oil that made this world go round. Especially important in stabilising this pattern was the ‘carbon military–industrial complex’ around the world.
The book goes on to examine how in this new century it is systems that have to change, to move from growing high carbon systems to those that are low carbon. Many suggestions are made as to how to innovate such low carbon systems. It is shown that such a transition has to happen fast so as to create positive feedbacks of each low carbon system upon each other. Various scenarios are elaborated of differing futures for the middle of this century, futures that all contain significant costs for the scale, extent and richness of social life.
Climate Change and Society thus attempts to replace economics with sociology as the dominant discipline in climate change analysis. Sociology has spent much time examining the nature of modern societies, of modernity, but mostly failed to analyse the carbon resource base of such societies. This book seeks to remedy that failing. It should appeal to teachers and students in sociology, economics, environmental studies, geography, planning, politics and science studies, as well as to the public concerned with the long term future of carbon and society.
By contrast Climate Change and Society tries to place the ‘social’ at the heart of both the analysis of climates and of the assessment of alternative futures. It demonstrates the importance of social practices organised into systems. In the fateful twentieth century various interlocking high carbon systems were established. This sedimented high carbon social practices, engendering huge population growth, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and the potentially declining availability of oil that made this world go round. Especially important in stabilising this pattern was the ‘carbon military–industrial complex’ around the world.
The book goes on to examine how in this new century it is systems that have to change, to move from growing high carbon systems to those that are low carbon. Many suggestions are made as to how to innovate such low carbon systems. It is shown that such a transition has to happen fast so as to create positive feedbacks of each low carbon system upon each other. Various scenarios are elaborated of differing futures for the middle of this century, futures that all contain significant costs for the scale, extent and richness of social life.
Climate Change and Society thus attempts to replace economics with sociology as the dominant discipline in climate change analysis. Sociology has spent much time examining the nature of modern societies, of modernity, but mostly failed to analyse the carbon resource base of such societies. This book seeks to remedy that failing. It should appeal to teachers and students in sociology, economics, environmental studies, geography, planning, politics and science studies, as well as to the public concerned with the long term future of carbon and society.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Much has been written on the subject of climate change, so how is this work different? Urry takes a step back from the usual limited view of closed systems, and examines the notion that the social is completely embedded in both causes and potential solutions to damaging climate change. It's an effective strategy, as the author argues convincingly that without including the social aspect, strategies are unlikely to become embedded sufficiently to prove useful. The bulk of the book sees Urry take various aspects of climate change management in turn, including government, innovation and mobilities, examining them in light of their social nature. Unsurprisingly, given Urry's background in the sociology of space, his thinking on spatial issues and climate change is particularly strong.
It's a realistic book, with a focus on patterns and systems and an acceptance that when 'locked-in', these are hard to change, and reinforce themselves through positive feedback. There's some excellent analysis of what possible 'tipping points' may be for large-scale movement to a low-carbon society, and on the conditions required for these to occur. Naturally, neo-liberalism takes a good beating, with a central thrust of the book being the necessary evolution of a society-economy rather than the detached, individualistic market economy supporting a high-carbon world. Although you'll find the familiar material in here - the oil industry's conspiracy against climate change science, the evils of consumerism - the sociological links make the old arguments seem fresh and challenging again. Urry is also realistic enough to admit the importance of fashion and fad, and admit that these will not go away, and must form part of the solution.
Stylistically however, I think this book misses a trick somehow. Some passages are tirelessly academic, and would lose the average reader amidst the sociological name-dropping and jargon. This is a shame, as Urry's message is of such importance that a work like this should be as accessible and convincing as possible to as many people as possible. That said, most of the book's ten short chapters are not too marred by this slightly stuffy edge. Some sections are brilliantly constructed and even gripping, driving home the author's arguments with colourful descriptions linked to real-world examples (Dubai serving as an excellent example of the absurdity of current carbon-greed).
Also, the chapter of imagined future worlds has a touch of the flights of fancy about it, which took an edge of seriousness away from the chapters before it. Dan Gardner in Future Babble recently echoed the age-old warnings to anyone trying to imagine the future, that they will most likely look silly in hindsight. That said, the arguments supporting the four projections in this book are well-balanced, with reasons for and against their likelihood, and they serve well to illustrate some of the points made earlier.
Everything considered, it's an excellent and concise examination of climate change placed correctly in its interconnected social and economic contexts. Social scientists - students and practitioners alike - will get a lot from its discussion of social practices as an undeniable part of the picture. Certainly a book that policy-makers should take notice of, and one exploring issues that everybody should be thinking about.
It's a realistic book, with a focus on patterns and systems and an acceptance that when 'locked-in', these are hard to change, and reinforce themselves through positive feedback. There's some excellent analysis of what possible 'tipping points' may be for large-scale movement to a low-carbon society, and on the conditions required for these to occur. Naturally, neo-liberalism takes a good beating, with a central thrust of the book being the necessary evolution of a society-economy rather than the detached, individualistic market economy supporting a high-carbon world. Although you'll find the familiar material in here - the oil industry's conspiracy against climate change science, the evils of consumerism - the sociological links make the old arguments seem fresh and challenging again. Urry is also realistic enough to admit the importance of fashion and fad, and admit that these will not go away, and must form part of the solution.
Stylistically however, I think this book misses a trick somehow. Some passages are tirelessly academic, and would lose the average reader amidst the sociological name-dropping and jargon. This is a shame, as Urry's message is of such importance that a work like this should be as accessible and convincing as possible to as many people as possible. That said, most of the book's ten short chapters are not too marred by this slightly stuffy edge. Some sections are brilliantly constructed and even gripping, driving home the author's arguments with colourful descriptions linked to real-world examples (Dubai serving as an excellent example of the absurdity of current carbon-greed).
Also, the chapter of imagined future worlds has a touch of the flights of fancy about it, which took an edge of seriousness away from the chapters before it. Dan Gardner in Future Babble recently echoed the age-old warnings to anyone trying to imagine the future, that they will most likely look silly in hindsight. That said, the arguments supporting the four projections in this book are well-balanced, with reasons for and against their likelihood, and they serve well to illustrate some of the points made earlier.
Everything considered, it's an excellent and concise examination of climate change placed correctly in its interconnected social and economic contexts. Social scientists - students and practitioners alike - will get a lot from its discussion of social practices as an undeniable part of the picture. Certainly a book that policy-makers should take notice of, and one exploring issues that everybody should be thinking about.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
John Urry is a sociologist and has written a worthy book that looks at the impact of climate change and how we might respond to it as a society. Unsurprisingly, it looks at a sociological approach to the impact rather than taking the economic approach of many authors.
There are 10 chapters, looking at the facts and figures of climate change, modelling scenarios, possible catastrophes, our high carbon 'addiction', oil dependency, the politics of climate management, dealing with catastrophes, adopting low carbon lifestyles, future scenarios and 'selling' future models to society.
It's a well written book, taking into account latest best practice in terms of climate modelling and presenting some challenging and though-provoking scenarios and suggestions. Highly recommended.
There are 10 chapters, looking at the facts and figures of climate change, modelling scenarios, possible catastrophes, our high carbon 'addiction', oil dependency, the politics of climate management, dealing with catastrophes, adopting low carbon lifestyles, future scenarios and 'selling' future models to society.
It's a well written book, taking into account latest best practice in terms of climate modelling and presenting some challenging and though-provoking scenarios and suggestions. Highly recommended.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
A great deal has been written on climate change yet this book really stands out as it takes on an holistic approach. The author argues that one has to consider society and culture in order to affect a worthwhile strategy. A large portion of this book sees Urry take various aspects such as government and technological advancements, examining them in light of their social nature.
It's an excellent and concise examination of climate change placed correctly in its interconnected social and economic contexts. Because of the approach made this is a worthy book for environmentalists to consider and policy-makers and one exploring issues that everybody should be thinking about.
It's an excellent and concise examination of climate change placed correctly in its interconnected social and economic contexts. Because of the approach made this is a worthy book for environmentalists to consider and policy-makers and one exploring issues that everybody should be thinking about.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
too academic
This book does not have an author ..... it is simply a very loose collection of the varied and diverse opinions of other people on the topics to do with climate change - similar to... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. R. G. A. Thomas
Suitable for Academic purposes
The book is written, and laid out, like a dissertation or research paper. If Climate change is part of something you are studying, then it is definitely worth a read, but for the... Read more
Published 7 months ago by -EFox-
A difficult read but well worth the effort
This is primarily an academic work and can be quite difficult to read as it does not flow that well in places. However, this is the only criticism I have. Read more
Published 8 months ago by J. R. Atkinson
Very academic read!
I found this book very difficult to read. It is fine if you are a professor of sociology (as the author) but for the layman very complex. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mrs. D. A. Bremner
Too academic for me
The author presents the climate crisis and the need for a human response in a social rather than an economic or ecological perspective. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Andrew Dalby
Thoughtful reading
The author proposes that a change from a high carbon system should be effected as soon as possible. Our current resource wasteful system has been promoted worldwide over the past... Read more
Published 10 months ago by P. A. Pendrey
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