Sociology and Anthropology Research Series: Bridging sociology and ecology, January 24

Paul Van Auken

Professor Paul Van Auken, of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, will be presenting a talk, “Fusing Two Lines of Thought: A Proposed Bridge Between Leopold and Sociological Community,” at noon Friday, January 24, in 206 Schroeder Hall.

Here is a description of the talk:

Community was once a cornerstone concept in the field of sociology but faded from prominence during the incredible social change of the 20th century. It is argued, however, that the broader appeal of the idea of community and a yearning for collective problem-solving have persisted, and debate continues about the merits and nuances of the concept amongst some sociologists. Further, the 70th anniversary of the publication of legendary ecologist Aldo Leopold’s most famous work, A Sand County Almanac, provides an opportunity to examine the potential resonance between his concept of land-community which is widely influential in the fields of conservation ecology and environmental studies—and sociological approaches to community. I will discuss why Leopold has seemingly made very little impact in sociology and explore what his hoped-for “fusion of these two lines of thought” might offer to socio-ecological scholarship and practice. I will then present a synthetic framework of the community concept with the goal of strengthening the bridge between ecological and sociological research, while helping us better understand the reality of humans and their environments—how we live and might live in particular places.

This event is free and open to the public.

For special accommodations, please contact Aaron Pitluck.