Week 12

Question 1

Discourse

Answer 1

a domain of language use that is characterized by common ways of talking and thinking about an issue

Question 2

Why are discourses important?

Answer 2

1. they are at the heart of the social construction of reality–> they give our world meaning
2. they tell us a lot about the person who uses them
3. discourses are a form of power

Question 3

Strengths of Post-structuralism/ Postmodernism

Answer 3

1. Emphasis of taken for granted assumptions
2. directs attention to the power of language in the social construction of our world
3. allows for multiple truth claims to coexist

Question 4

Critiques of Post-structuralism/ Postmodernism

Answer 4

1. If everything is relative and there is no “truth”, social change becomes difficult if not undesirable
2. these theories are inaccessible and “willfully difficult”

Question 5

Sociology of the Environment

Answer 5

Concerned with how humans affect the physical environment and how the physical environment affects human activities

Question 6

Focuses of Environmental Sociology

Answer 6

1. Unintended consequences of human action on the environment
2. influence of the environment of humanity
3. social policies pertaining to the environment

Question 7

Postmodernism: Environment links to society

Answer 7

Examines competing discourses like...
government 
industry
environmental activists 
scientists  

ex. Global Warming, genetically modified foods, pesticides

focus on what each discourse says about the groups needs and ideologies

Question 8

Weberiasnism: Environmental links to society

Answer 8

Profits at the expense of quality of food, the health of the environment, the health of individuals …

Question 9

Marxism: Environmental links to society

Answer 9

Class conflict: the working class bear the brunt of ecological issues

greater concern with promoting business than with human safety

Question 10

Risk Assessment

Answer 10

Process of identifying hazards and potential outcomes and determining what is considered to be an acceptable risk

Question 11

Three Factors of Risk assessment

Answer 11

1. estimate how hazardous a particular chemical, toxin …
2. calculate likelihood of exposure
3. Estimate potential for harm is exposed

** requires scientific proof of harm before government intervention will occur

Question 12

Precautionary Principle

Answer 12

an alternative to risk assessment as basis of policy making

** better safe than sorry

Question 13

Anti-racism: Environmental links to society

Answer 13

environmental racism

Question 14

Environmental racism

Answer 14

disadvantages communities are disproportionally exposed to environmental health factors and disasters brought about by government and/or industrial policies

Question 15

Feminism: Environmental links to society

Answer 15

Ecofeminism

Question 16

Ecofeminism

Answer 16

a social/political movement that considers environmental degradation to :

1. the interconnected oppression of gender, race or ethnicity
2. calls for rethinking of our relationship with nature