Sociology's Rediscovery of the Environment: Setting the Stage.

The author provides commentary on the influence of the work of sociologist William Catton and the impact it has had on the field of environmental sociology. The evolution of "human ecology" as conceptualized by sociologists such as Robert Park and Amos Hawley is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the influence of Catton's book "Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change," published in 1980. The author describes why "Overshoot" is required reading for his environmental studies program.