ABSTRACT
Environmental sociology emerged in the 1970s in the USA in response to growing societal awareness of ecological problems. It was quickly institutionalized and then diffused internationally. Environmental sociologists conduct a wide range of work sharing a common focus on the bio-physical environment, ranging from local toxic contamination to global climate change. Major themes include analyzing the social construction of ecological problems (including the roles of public opinion, scientists, activists and policy-makers), along with their primary causes, major impacts, and potential solutions. The societal salience of climate change has given the field increased prominence within sociology, academia and society at large.
