Module 5: Ecological Inequality

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the module, students will be able to:

  1. Understand sociological perspectives on population and the environment.
  2. Explore population dynamics including, fertility, mortality, and migration.
  3. Analyze debates on overpopulation and demographic transition theory.
  4. Investigate issues related to population decline, immigration, and restrictions.
  5. Examine environmental sociology, decision-making, and environmental inequality.
  6. Explore environmental problems such as pollution, climate change, and health disparities.

KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS

Define and offer real-world illustrations of the fundamental terms and concepts as you read the module to encourage active participation and learning.

  • Air pollution
  • Bycatch
  • Climate change
  • Conflict theory
  • Crude death rate
  • Demographic transition theory
  • Demography
  • Domestic migration
  • Environmental degradation
  • Environmental inequality
  • Environmental racism
  • Environmental sociology
  • Functionalism
  • General fertility rate
  • Global climate change
  • Hazardous wastes
  • Hazardous waste sites
  • Health disparities
  • Housing affordability
  • Immigration
  • Immunity
  • In-migration
  • Infectious disease
  • International migration
  • Migration
  • Mortality
  • Nuclear power
  • Overfishing
  • Overpopulation
  • Population
  • Pro-natalist policies
  • Social epidemiology
  • Study of population
  • Symbolic interactionism
  • Total fertility rate
  • Unequal food distribution
  • Vaccine
  • Water quality

INTRODUCTION

In this module, we’ll examine the social issues of food shortage and climate change linked to population growth and its impact on the environment. These issues are complex and lack simple fixes, but they are urgent and demand attention. It’s not an overstatement to say that finding adequate solutions to these problems is crucial for the well-being of our planet.

License

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Developing a Social Analytic Mind Copyright © by Vera Kennedy and Cintia Quesada is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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