Climate and Society - 2nd Edition by Robin Leichenko & Karen O'Brien

Book Synopsis

This bold and passionate textbook has become a go-to introduction to current and emerging thinking on the social dimensions of climate change, presenting key concepts and frameworks for understanding the multifaceted connections between climate and society.

Using clear language and powerful examples, Robin Leichenko and Karen O'Brien explore the varied social drivers, impacts, and responses to climate change. They highlight the important roles that worldviews, values, and - especially in this updated edition - emotions play in shaping interpretations of climate challenges. They include additional material on climate justice and equity, eco-centric discourses, paradigm shifts, and other topics. Situating climate change within the context of a rapidly changing world, the book demonstrates how dynamic political, economic, and environmental contexts amplify risks, often unequally for different groups based on race, gender, wealth, and location. Yet these shifting conditions also present opportunities for transformative responses: the new edition strengthens its emphasis on individuals' power to influence systems, structures, and cultures.

With updated references, examples, and data, and expanded pedagogical features, this informative and engaging new edition empowers undergraduates across the social sciences and other disciplines with a broader and deeper understanding of climate change and the potential for equitable and sustainable responses.

Review Quotes

"Those seeking explanation on why climate change matters and how society can and should respond will find clarity in this book. These influential scholars have illuminated the necessary choices and pathways for action, bringing insights from across perspectives and disciplines. With a clear, concise, and rigorous view of the problem and solutions, they offer the reader ways to deepen their own understanding, opening the mind to new possibilities."
Neil Adger, University of Exeter

"This book takes a deeply human view on the challenge of climate change. It engages with the emotional, cultural, and embodied experiences of a changing climate and asks readers to consider their own feelings and views. The authors' call for individual and collective transformation offers information, action, hope, and opportunities to students who may feel despairing about our future."
Diana Liverman, University of Arizona

About the Author

Robin Leichenko is Professor of Geography at Rutgers University.
Karen O'Brien is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Oslo.