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Building on cornerstone traditions in historical sociology, as well as work in environmental sociology and political-economic sociology, we theorize and investigate with moderation analysis how and why national militaries shape the effect of economic growth on carbon pollution. Militaries exert a substantial influence on the production and consumption patterns of economies, and the environmental demands required to support their evolving infrastructure. As far-reaching and distinct characteristics of contemporary militarization, we suggest that both the size and capital intensiveness of the world's militaries enlarge the effect of economic growth on nations' carbon emissions. In particular, we posit that each increases the extent to which the other amplifies the effect of economic growth on carbon pollution. To test our arguments, we estimate longitudinal models of emissions for 106 nations from 1990 to 2016. Across various model specifications, robustness checks, a range of sensitivity analyses, and counterfactual analysis, the findings consistently support our propositions. Beyond advancing the environment and economic growth literature in sociology, this study makes significant contributions to sociological research on climate change and the climate crisis, and it underscores the importance of considering the military in scholarship across the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient air pollution, in the form of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), poses serious population health risks. We estimate cross-national longitudinal models to test whether the negative relationship between life expectancy and PM 2.5 concentration is larger in nations with higher levels of income inequality. The dependent variable is average life expectancy at birth, and the focal predictor variables include PM 2.5 concentration, income inequality, and the two-way interaction between them. We also estimate the average marginal effects of PM 2.5 concentration from low to high values of income inequality, and the predicted values of life expectancy from low to high values of PM 2.5 concentration and income inequality. Results indicate that the negative relationship between life expectancy and PM 2.5 concentration is larger in nations with higher levels of income inequality, and the reductions in predicted life expectancy are substantial when both PM 2.5 concentration and income inequality are high. We suggest that the theoretical principles of Power, Proximity, and Physiology help explain our findings. This study underscores the importance in considering the multiplicative impacts of environmental conditions and socioeconomic factors in the modeling of population health. Unlabelled Image • PM 2.5 poses serious population health risks throughout the world. • We estimate longitudinal models of life expectancy for 136 nations. • Average life expectancy is negatively associated with PM 2.5 concentration. • Income inequality amplifies the negative association between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to interdisciplinary research on the social and environmental determinants of population health, with a focus on the interaction between working hours and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) concentration. The authors estimate longitudinal models of the relationship between US state-level average life expectancy and both average working hours and PM 2.5 concentration for the 2005–2014 period. Results obtained from two-way fixed effects models indicate that average life expectancy is negatively associated with both average working hours and fine particulate matter concentration. Findings also indicate clear moderating relationships: the negative association between life expectancy and working hours is amplified as PM 2.5 concentration increases, and the negative relationship between life expectancy and fine particulate matter concentration is amplified when average working hours increase. The results of this study underscore the need for additional research on the multiplicative impacts of socioeconomic factors and environmental factors in the modeling of population health. • Life expectancy for US states is negatively associated with average working hours and PM 2.5 concentration. • The negative association between life expectancy and working hours is amplified as PM 2.5 concentration increases. • The negative relationship between life expectancy and PM 2.5 concentration is amplified when average working hours increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]