Browse > Article

A Sociological Approach to Sustainable Development  

Jeong, Dai-Yeun (Department of Sociology, Cheju National University)
Publication Information
Abstract
The term sustainable development is being used widely since WCED suggested it in 1987. This paper aims at catching up its sociological implications. For doing this, the paper examined some major existing researches on sustainable development. It was found that sustainable development has been defined as an economic development with the preservation of nature as an environment of human life. In this sense, the existing concept of sustainable development is an economic perspective. Sustainable development as an economic perspective is faced with some limitations and/or problems. They are summarized as follows. The human-made environment is excluded from the concept of sustainable development. Its ideology is anthroponcentric in that the sustainability of nature is a necessary condition for economic development. The objective reference which can measure whether the current state of nature is sustainable or not is not proposed. Consequently, sustainable development results in merely a survivability of economy, a new form of economic utility and/or a successful economy. In terms of sociological perspective, economy and nature can not be sustainable without other social factors being sustainable, because all social factors including economy and nature exist in a causal mechanism. This means that sustainable development should be approached from a multi-dimensional perspective. The multi-dimensional approach can be a framework of sustainable development in terms of whole society, then can be termed sustainable society which implies not a sustainable development, but a societal development. The factors which should be included in the sustainable society are, at least, nature, economy, population as an aggregate, mode of living existence of people as a cultural actor, technology, and social structure.
Keywords
Sustainable Development; Environmentalism; Consumerism; Sustainable Society; Sustainable Societal Development;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Commoner, 8. et al., 1983, The Causes of Pollution, in T. D. Goldfarb (ed.) Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Environmental Issues, Guilford, Conn., The Dushkin Publishing Groups.
2 Schumacher, E. F., 1973, Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered, London, Blond and Briggs.
3 Becker, E., et al., 1997, Sustainability: A CrossDisciplinary Concept for Social Transformations, Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
4 Toynbee, A, 1972, The Religious Background of the Present Environmental Crisis, International Journal of Environmental Crisis, 3, 141-146.
5 WCED (World Commission on Environment and Development), 1987, Our Common Future, Oxford, Oxford University Press. White, L. Jr., 1967, The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis, Science 155, 1203-1207   DOI   ScienceOn
6 Freeman, H. M., Puskas, Z., and Olbina, R, 1995, Cleaner Technologies and Cleaner Products for Sustainable Development, New York, Springer.
7 Gatersleben, B., and Vlek, C, 1998, Household Consumption, Quality of Life, and Environmental Impacts: A Psychological Perspective and Empirical Study, Pp. 141-183 in Green Households: Domestic Consumers, Environment and Sustainability, Edited by K. J. Noorman and T. S. Uiterkamp, London, Earthscan Publications Ltd.
8 1995, How Would You Like Your Sustainability, Sir? Weak or Strong? A Reply to My Critics, Environmental Values, 4, 169-179.
9 1995, On Wilfred Beckerman's Critique of Sustainable Development, Environmental Values, 4, 49-55.   DOI
10 Pepper, D., 1993, Eca-Socialism: From Deep Ecology to Social Justice, London, Routledge.
11 황태연, 1994, 지속가능한 개발의 개념적 구상과 실천이론의 문제, 환경과 사회, 2, 96-100   PUBMED
12 정대연, 2001, 환경의 구성요소와 그 쳬계, 환경영향평가, 10(3), 175-184.   PUBMED
13 Daly, H. E., 1990, Towards Some Operational Principles of Sustainable Development, Ecological Economics, 2, 1-6.   DOI   ScienceOn
14 Dickens, P., 1992, Society and Nature: Towards a Green Social Theory, Hemel Hempstead, Harvester Wheatsheaf.
15 White, L. Jr., 1967, The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis, Science 155, 1203-1207.   DOI   PUBMED   ScienceOn
16 권태호, 1999, 태백시의 지속가능한 발전을 위한 도시 경제기반 구축방향, 지역사회개발연구, 24(2), 171-187
17 이정전(편), 1995, 지속가능한 사회와 환경, 서울, 박영사.
18 2002, 환경사회학, 서울, 아카넷.
19 Abrahamson, P. and Inglehart, R., 1995, Value Change in Global Perspective, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press.
20 Borgstrom, G, 1969, Too Many - A Study of the Earth's Biological Limitations, New York, Macmillan,
21 Commoner, 8., 1972, The Closing Circle Confronting the Environmental Crisis, London, Cape.
22 Dunlap. R. E., 1994, The Nature and Cause of Environmental Problems: A Socio-Ecological Perspective, Pp. 45-84 in Environment and Development: A Sociological Understanding for Better Human Conditions, Edited by Korean Sociological Association. Seoul: Seoul Press.
23 Hinterberger, F., 1994, Biological, Cultural, and Economic Evolution and the Economy Ecology Relationship, Pp. 57-81 in Toward Sustainable Development: Concepts, Methods, and Policy, Edited by J. C J. M. van den Bergh and J. van der Straaten, Washington, D. C, Island Press.
24 Lash, S., et al., (eds.), 1996, Risk, Environment, and Modemity, London, Sage.
25 Lee, M, 1993, Consumer Culture Reborn: The Cultural Politics of Consumption, London, Routledge.
26 Lele, S. M., 1991, Sustainable Development: A Critical Review, World Development, 19(6),607-621.   DOI   ScienceOn
27 Martell, L., 1994, Ecology and Society: An Introduction, Cambridge, Polity Press.
28 Noorman, K J., et al., 1998, Household Metabolism in the Context of Sustainability and Environmental Quality, Pp. 7-34 in Green Households: Domestic Consumers, Environment and Sustainability, Edited by K J. Noorman and T. S. Uiterkamp, London, Earthscan Publications Ltd.
29 Meadows, D. H., et al., 1972, Limit to Growth, New York, Universe Books.
30 Naess, A, 1995a, Equality, Sameness, and Rights, pp. 222-224 in Deep Ecology for the 21st Century, Edited by G. Sessions, Boston, Shambhala Publications, Inc.
31 Sklair, L., 1991, Sociology of the Global System, New York, Harvester Wheatsheaf.
32 Wackernagel, M., et al., 1993, How Big is Our Ecological Footprint?: A Handbook for Estimating a Community's Appropriated Carrying Capacity, (Discussion Draft) for the task Force on Planning Health and Sustainable Communities, Vancouver, Canada.
33 Lyons, D., 1999, Postmodernity, Buckingham, Open University Press.
34 Harper, C L., 1996, Environment and Society Human Perspectives on Environmental Issues, New Jersey, Prentice Hall.
35 lrvine, S., 1989, Beyond Green Consumerism, London, Friends of the Earth.
36 Beck, U., 1987, Risk Society: Towards a New Modemity, London, Sage Publication.
37 Sage, C, 1995, Population, Consumption and Sustainable Development, Pp. 35-59 in Strategies for Sustainable Development: Local Agendas for the South, Edited by M. Redclift and C Sage, New York, John Wiley & Sons.
38 Turner, R. K, 1998, Household Metabolism and Sustainability: Some Introductory Remarks, Pp. 1-6 in Green Households: Domestic Consumers, Environment and Sustainability, Edited by K. J. Noorman and T. S. Uiterkamp, London, Earthscan Publications Ltd.
39 Dunlap, R E., and Van Liere, K. D., 1978, The New Environmental Paradigm: A Proposed Measuring Instrument and Preliminary Results, Journal of Environmental Education, 9, 10-19.   DOI
40 김판석, 사득환, 1999, 지속가능한 발전에 대한 이해와 개념정립, 한국정치학보, 32(4), 71-88
41 Kahn, H., et al., 1979, World Economy Development, 1979 and Beyond, Boulder, West View Press.
42 Eckersley, R, 1995, Environmentalism and Political Theory: Towards and Ecocentric Approach, London, University College London Press.
43 1995b, Self-Realization: An Ecological Approach to Being in the World, pp. 225-239 in Deep Ecology for the 21st Century, Edited by G. Sessions, Boston, Shambha1a Publications, Inc
44 Rao, P. K, 2000, Sustainable Development: Economics and Policy, London, Blackwell.
45 Ehrlich, P. R, 1974, The Population Bomb, New York, Ballantine Books.
46 Duncan, O. D., 1961. From Social System to Ecosystem, Sociological Inquiry, 31, 140-149.   DOI
47 이정전, 1994, 시장기구와 지속가능한 개발, 환경 교육, 6, 121-127.   PUBMED
48 Beckerman, W., 1994, Sustainable Development: Is It a Useful Concept?, Environmental Values, 3, 191-209.   DOI
49 Van den Bergh J. C J. M., and Van der Straaten, J., 1994, Historical and Future Model of Economic Development and Natural Environment, Pp. 209-234 in Toward Sustainable Development: Concepts, Methods, and 63.Policy, Edited by J. C J. M. van den Bergh and J. van der Straaten, Washington, D. C, Island Press.
50 1988, Social Ecology versus Deep Ecology, Socialist Review, 19(3), 11-29.
51 Ekins, P., 1994, The Environmental Sustainability of Economic Processes: A Framework for Analysis, Pp. 25-55 in Toward Sustainable Development: Concepts, Methods, and Policy, Edited by J. C.J. M van den Bergh and J. van der Straaten. Washington, D. C, Island Press.
52 Pezzey, J., 1992, Sustainability: An Interdisciplinary Guide, Environmental Values, 1, 321-362.   DOI
53 Bookchin, M., 1980, Toward an Ecological Society, Montreal, Black Rose Books.
54 Pirages, D. C, 1977, Introduction: A Social Design for Sustainable Growth, Pp. 1-20 in The Sustainable Society: Implications for Limited Growth, Edited by Pirages, D. C, London, Praeger Publishers.
55 Miles, S, 1998, Consumerism As a Way of Life, London, Sage Publications.
56 유정식, 1993, 지속가능한 발전으로서의 지역발전; 강원도를 중심으로, 연세대, 지역발전 연구, 3, 47-64
57 1998, 지속가능한 발전의 이념을 실천하기 위한 조건들, 서울대, 환경논총, 36, 111-144.   PUBMED
58 Chambers, N. et al., 2000, Sharing Nature's Interest: Ecological Footprints As an Indicator of Sustainability, London, Earthscan Publications Ltd.
59 Jacobs, M., 1995, Sustainable Development, Capital Substitution and Economic Humility: A Response to Beckerman. Environmental Values, 4,57-68.
60 1992, Beyond the Limits: Global Collapse or a Sustainable Future, London, Earthscan Publications Limited.
61 Johansson, A., 1992, Clean Technology, Boca Raton. Lewis,
62 곽일천. 1994. 지속가능한 개발의 사회, 경제적정의. 환경과 사회. 2. 90-95   PUBMED
63 Kirkwood, R C, and Longley, A. J., (eds.), 1995, Clean Technology and the Environment, London: Blackie Academic & Professional.
64 Brown, L. R., 1981, Building a Sustainable Society, New York, W, W. Norton.
65 Olsen, M. E., et al., 1992, Viewing the World Ecologically, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
66 OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), 1995, Technologies for Cleaner Production and Products: Towards Technological Transformation for Sustainable Development, Paris, Andre-Pascal.