Presidential Address: Start Spreading the News: Illuminating the Effects of Climate Change as a Social Problem. (9th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mezey, Nancy J
• Is Part Of: Social problems. Volume 67:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 605
• Page End: 615
• Publication Date: 2020-03-09
• Subjects: sociology and climate change -- presidential address -- climate change -- anthropogenic causes -- climate justice; Social problems -- Periodicals; 301
• DOI: 10.1093/socpro/spaa009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0037-7791

Abstract

Abstract: The theme for the 2019 SSSP meetings is a call to sociologists and social scientists to draw on their sociological roots to illuminate the social in all social problems with an eye to solving those problems. The address encourages sociologists to speak as broadly as possible so that the discipline becomes a central voice in larger public discourses. The 2019 SSSP Presidential Address is a call to focus on what is the largest social problem: climate change. After a brief overview of the science of climate change, the address focuses on the anthropogenic causes of climate change and the reasons why climate change is a social justice issue. Looking specifically at rising sea levels, the address then focuses on New York City as an example of the effects of and some responses to climate change. The address concludes with a discussion of how sociologists can and should draw deeply on the discipline's theoretical roots, empirical tools, and pedagogical skills to illuminate climate change as a social problem.