Risk and Social Theory in Environmental Management

Risk and Social Theory in Environmental Managementmarks a timely contribution, given that environmental management is no longer just about protecting pristine ecosystems and endangered species from anthropogenic harm; it is about calculating and managing the risks to human communities of rapid environmental and technological change. First, the book provides a solid foundation of the social theory underpinning the nature of risk, then presents a rethinking of key concepts and methods in order to take more seriously the biophysical embeddedness of human society. Second, it presents a rich set of case studies from Australia and around the world, drawing on the latest applied research conducted by leading research institutions. In so doing, the book identifies the tensions that arise from decision making over risk and uncertainty in a contested policy environment, and provides crucial insights for addressing on-the-ground problems in an integrated way. * First volume to address environmental risk from a social science perspective * Latest theoretical developments * In depth case studies of contemporary issues (e.g. climate change, water shortages)

Thomas Measham is a human geographer in the Social and Economic Sciences Program of CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, and Adjunct Associate Professor at the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the Australian National University. His research interests are in social learning, community, engagement and regional dimensions of sustainability science. Stewart Lockie is Professor and Head of the School of Sociology at the Australian National University and President of the International Sociological Association's Research Committee on Environment and Society. He has developed an international reputation for his research and publications in rural and environmental sociology, particularly in relation to the governance of environmental problems and the social impacts of resource-based industries.