Health and Environment: Social Science Perspectives

In this new book the authors examine the contribution of social scientists to the topics of health and environment. They present diverse perspectives on classical and contemporary debates by focusing on social scientific framing of environment and health, as well as on the potential contribution of social science to problem solving strategies in these fields. They trace environment and health debates to the classical scholars and examine the evolution of contemporary academic disciplines concerned with health and environment. Finally, they address current complex relationships between human health and environmental problems, and between human and non-human interests.
Table of Contents:
Preface:

Introduction: Eternal Questions and Present Concerns;pp. 1-22
(Helen Kopnina, Amsterdam Institute of Advanced Labour Studies (faculty of the University of Amsterdam)and Hans Keune, University of Antwerp-Belgium)

Part I. Problem Framing and Debates

Chapter 1. Social scientific engagement with health and environment debates: classical roots and contemporary sub disciplines;pp. 25-50
(Helen Kopnina and Hans Keune)

Chapter 2. Why is scientific information on serious environment and health problems not easily recognized in our society?;pp. 51-77
(Hans Keune and Nik Van Larebeke, University of Ghent)

Chapter 3. Definitional Struggles, Environmental Risk Assessments and the Level of Trust: The Sudbury Soils Study, 2001-2008;pp. 79-98
(François Dépelteau, Sociology, Laurentian University, Canada)

Chapter 4. The Environment and The Perceptions of the Global Health Crisis;pp. 99-120
(Steven Ney, Singapore Management University and University of London)

Part II. Social sciences perspectives

Chapter 5. From Environmental to Ecological Sociology: Implications for Health;pp. 123-137
(Gary Bowden, University of New Brunswick, Canada)

Chapter 6. Biomedical and Environmental Health Perspectives: The Example of Confronting Breast Cancer;pp. 139-155
(Lori Baralt, California State University-Long Beach)

Chapter 7. The ADHD regime and neuro-chemical selves in whole systems. A Science Studies Perspective;pp. 157-186
(Alexander Stingl, University of Erlangen-Nuremburg, Germany)

Chapter 8. The Orientalist lens and traditional medicine: circumventing. Western biases in studying traditional medicines;pp. 187-204
(Barbara Potrata, Leeds Institute of Health Studies,UK. and Anzurat Akobirshoeva, Institute of Professional Development of Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast in Khorog, Tajikistan)

Part III. Policy and society: in search of solutions

Chapter 9. Social scientific navigation in environment and health complexity;pp. 207-227
(Hans Keune, Bert Morrens and Ilse Loots, University of Antwerp, Belgium)

Chapter 10. Health and environment policies in the European Union;pp. 229-253
(Helen Kopnina)

Chapter 11. Environmental Health Organizing in a Globalizing World: The Emergence of a Global Anti-Toxics Movement and its Political, Legal and Economic Challenges;pp. 255-272
(Stephen Zavestoski, University of San Francisco, CA)

Chapter 12. Conclusions on social scientific perspectives on health and environment;pp. 273-280
(Hans Keune and Helen Kopnina)