Environment and Urbanization

Abstract

While sociologists have long recognized the biophysical dimensions of city life and urbanization, this discussion had been overshadowed by a concern with environmental change in rural areas. Since the late twentieth century, however, attention has shifted, and there have been several theoretical and empirical studies examining the links between urbanization, city life, and the natural environment. In this research, there are two broad scopes for analysis, one that sees urbanization and cities as drivers of environmental change and another that sees cities as sites of environmental change. While the latter has a much longer lineage in sociology, more space is given here to review the former. Nevertheless, recent scholarship has also been arguing for a middle ground that synthesizes the two scopes; in this way, cities are seen as both sites and drivers of environmental change.