Nineteen Lessons Of Environmental Sociology By Kenneth...

The authors of the book â€Å"Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology†, Kenneth Gould and Tammy Lewis, provide a critique on the interactions of various social systems and ecosystems by many different scholars and institutions. A combination of neo-Marxist ideas are used as a base of the world-system theory to create the system for the neoliberal theories (Gould and Lewis p. 39). The world-system theory is looking into economic relationships based off of social changes that are occurring around the world and determining whether the country is benefitting or not (Gould Lewis p.39). This theory is built upon the perspective of the modernization theory; these societies are being directly affected by the lack of modernization within their†¦show more content†¦These theories are closely related when looking at their end goals of wanting to change social institutions that will develop a positive change in the environment. However, when examining the reflexive modernizat ion theory in relation to environmental issues, societies need to think more about what they don’t want rather than want they do want. For example, when evaluating a solution for polluted rivers, rather than looking at what is wanted to better the problem, society should look into what they do not want and evaluate the issue from there. This is where a difference in theories is noted. Both theories show that the idea is not to abandon capitalism, but rather renegotiate and reorganize the problem entirely (Gould and Lewis p.43). The system is then broken down at the individual level and changes are made throughout the system into the institutional level. However, the ecological theory looks to modernize the system as a whole, rather than radically changing it. The â€Å"Cradle to Cradle Design† by McDonough and Braungart is an example of the ecological modernization theory of reintegrating products and wastes back into society. Promoting this design of reintegration i s represented at the individual level as products are being reused rather than destroyed causing unnecessary wastes and pollution.