An Invitation to Environmental Sociology (Sociology for a New Century Series) [Paperback]

Michael M. (Mayerfeld) Bell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0761987754 | ISBN-13: 978-0761987758 | Publication Date: June 10, 2004 | Edition: 2nd

Author Michael Mayerfeld Bell uses a lively, personal writing style to take readers on a series of field trips through the vast landscape of environmental sociology. The Second Edition of An Invitation to Environmental Sociology analyzes the relevance of social theory with a social, community perspective for resolving the practical issues of our environmental problems. The author explores three elements of environmental sociology - the material, the ideal, and the practical. In order to unite these three topics, the book examines the interplay of material and ideal factors through the central concept of "ecological dialogue."

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I love your book, it is one of the most fascinating I have ever read (certainly the most riveting textbook). The ideas you present are so on key… I just wanted to let you know how incredible you book is. Thank you for writing it.” (Student )

"This is the perfect text for an introductory course in Environmental Sociology."
(Eric Friedman ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Michael Mayerfeld Bell is Professor of Community and Environmental Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For his day job, he is principally an environmental sociologist and a social theorist, focusing on dialogics, the sociology of nature, and social justice. These concerns for the world have led him to studies of agroecology, the body, community, consumption, culture, development, food, democracy, economic sociology, gender, inequality, participation, place, politics, rurality, the sociology of music, and more. He is also a part-time composer of grassroots and classical music, and a mandolinist, guitarist, and singer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Pine Forge Press; 2nd edition (June 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761987754
• ISBN-13: 978-0761987758
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,385,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful, Innovative, Compelling, Empassioned, December 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: An Invitation to Environmental Sociology (Sociology for a New Century Series) (Paperback)

Michael Bell in this book takes an entirely new approach to introducing students to the field of environmental sociology. Yes there are other texts out there, and certainly they do a better job of reviewing all the research and thought that has gone before them. Some are much more encyclopedic, and end up reading like Sears Catalogues. However for its readablility and humanist treatment of this subject, Bell's stands alone.
Bell's humanities background shows in his wide-ranging examples from Asian, Classical and Enlightenment thinking, which shows readers how the questions currently being chewed on by environmental sociologists (such as what is "natural," why our culture and economic system drive us to destroy the environment) are truly age-old. This also makes the book extremely interesting for faculty and other readers, as well as students.
However what I like the best about this book is how beautifully and thoughtfully written it is. Bell's major points are carefully developed, and build upon each other beautifully. He speaks of his own life-choices, and he takes stands on issues. To me these make this book more compelling than text-book that seek to be catalogues of all the issues. Those have a place too, but students first need to care about the issues and the field, and feel as if something can be done about our pressing environmental problems.
I believe the other reviewer may be an outlier: Hundreds of my students over the past four years have given this book the thumbs up (and they certainly gave other books the thumbs down). Judge this book yourself, it is worth it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, October 17, 2007

By 

D. M. Sicotte (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Invitation to Environmental Sociology (Sociology for a New Century Series) (Paperback)

I highly recommend this book as an introduction to environmental sociology. My students say they like Bell's writing style, as it is accessible and he makes confusing concepts easy to understand. I like the way he places individual choices and decisions in a social context so that students can see the influences of social structures (the built environment, our time constraints and our need for social status) on the choices and decisions of individuals. In the 2004 edition, there is also a section on environmental justice, an important topic which is rarely covered adequately in environmental sociology textbooks.

4.0 out of 5 stars Like new!, September 24, 2011

By 

Adrienne - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: An Invitation to Environmental Sociology (Paperback)

The textbook's condition was just like if I had bought it brand new from a store, but for a much better price ;D Thank you so much.