STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 I.      List the basic characteristics environment.

 II.     Describe general environmental problems linked to society.

 III.    Describe some cross-cultural variations in environmental perspectives.

 IV.     Indicate the changes that have occurred in environmental patterns with increasing industrialization and urbanization.

 V.      Outline the functions of various organizations linked to the preservation of environment.

 VI.     Describe the impact of consumption, materialism, money and machines upon environment.

 VII.    Describe how populations linked with economic and agricultural development impacts the environment.

 VIII.   Present the changing environments impacts upon the human body and its health.

 IX.     Present a conflict view of nature vs. human nature.

 X       Explain how the self-fulfilling prophecy impacts the environment.

 XI.     Discuss the relationship between class, race, gender and education plays a role in environmental policy.

 XII.    List the impact of technology on social structures linked with environments ranging from personal to corporate.

 XIII.   List topics of interest to a sociologist studying the environment would base research upon.

 XIV.    Compare and contrast the elements of religion that have contributed to both environmental domination and the new greening of Christianity.

 XV.     Compare the views of the various sociological theorists as they relate to changing environmental impacts on human societies and identity.

 XVI.    The Sociology of Environmental injustices and justice.

 XVII.   Identify issues linked with gender and environmental domination and the ecology of Patriarchy.

 XVIII.  Discuss the perspectives and controversy over Eco-feminism.

 XIX.    The extent of contemporary environmental concern as it is applied to social status.

 XX      Explain the idea of the consequences of surplus wealth upon the environment.

 XXI.    Discuss the three contemporary theories of environmental concern: Post materialism, Paradigm Shift, and Ecological Modernization.

 XXII.   The impact of ¿fear¿ as it is linked to social-environmental changes.

 XXIII.  Coping skills of those who fear the possible environmental changes in the future. Summarize the Democratic Basis of Contemporary of Environmental Concern, Sensibilities and Democratic Institutions as applied to new directions of environmentalism.

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Defining environmental problems and society

         A.      The environmental predicament

         B.      The social organization of environmental problems

 II.     General theories of socio-environmental interaction

         A.      Sociological theories defining self and community in relationship to environment

         B.      Eco-feminist theories defining self, community and environment

         C.      Various global communities sentiments about human/environmental relationships

 III.    Consumption and materialism treadmill

         A.      The material basis of the human condition

         B.      The affluent society

         C.      The leisure class

         D.      Sentiments in advertising and green advertising

 IV.     Needs of technology and technology as a social structure

         A.      The social organization of convenience

         B.      The technology of Somnambulism

 V.      Population and development

         A.      The Malthusian argument

         B.      Inequality and access to development and food

         C.      Women and development

         D.      Family planning and birth control

 VI.     Body and health concerns

         A.      Environmental racism and class

         B.      Environmental justice and social movements

 VII.    Ideology of Environmental domination

         A.      Religion and environmental domination

         B.      Non-Western religions and environmental connections

         C.      Eco-Feminism vs. Patriarchy

 VIII.   Political Issues focused on environment

         A.      Governmental involvement in environmental issues

         B.      Globalization of corporations and environmental impact

         C.      Privatization of water and land out of the hands of the common people

 IX.     The organizing of the Ecological Society

         A.      Dialogue, Democracy and environmental problems

         B.      Re-visioning, recycling, and re-education

         C.      Current and successful environmental movements

         D.      Reorganizing societies and ourselves.