Preface

This book resulted from our desire to achieve two goals. First, we wanted to assemble a volume that could help researchers and students interested in the social aspects of environmental issues to identify the methodological possibilities offered by social sciences. Second, we wanted to present the pluralistic, interdisciplinary mix of methods, and qualitative and quantitative approaches, found in contemporary research in this area. We hope readers will find our attempts successful.

We want to acknowledge our intellectual debt to the colleagues and teachers who have helped us understand the dynamic range of possibilities in environmental social science. Ismael and Eric specifically offer tribute to the Graduate Program in Environmental Anthropology at the University of Washington. Although now moribund, the “EA Program” flourished for over a decade and provided its participants (students and faculty alike) with a dynamic intellectual and social environment for exploring diverse and non-dogmatic approaches to environmental social sciences. In comparison to a decade ago, there are now a growing number of vibrant programs for environmental social science, and an expanding scholarly and applied literature.