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Humans live in social communities that are embedded ecologically within overlapping biophysical environments. The increasing burden that humans have on these environments demands extensive attention from people in all walks of life. This book promotes a dialogue between two related groups of scholars – community sociologists and environmental sociologists – that may help us to better understand how humans interact with each other in social communities and with biophysical environments in an ecological community. Ultimately, these insights may promote broader discussions among a wider group of citizens who mobilize for community and ecological sustainability.

The rise of arts and culture is transforming citizen politics. Though new to many social scientists, this is a commonplace for many policy makers. We seek to overcome this divide by joining culture and the arts with classic concepts of political analysis. We offer an analytical framework incorporating the politics of cultural policy alongside the typical political and economic concerns. Our framework synthesizes several research streams that combine in global factors driving the articulation of culture into political/economic processes. The contexts of Toronto and Chicago are explored as both enhanced the arts dramatically, but Toronto engaged artists qua citizens, while Chicago did not.

The victims and survivors of extreme weather events and ecological catastrophes around the globe during 2005s “long September” (from the last week in August to the first week in October).

This chapter explores the idea that democratic political legitimacy can emerge by other means than voting or citizen participation. Beyond these conventional methods of building legitimacy, we contend that alternative modes are emerging all over the world. Among these emergent forms are a wide range of policies, from China’s economic growth to Bogotá’s use of pantomime street crossing guards, replacing corrupt traffic police. Matched to their context, these policies may enhance political legitimacy. Particularly in locations with weak traditions of citizen participation, exploring alternatives to classic Tocquevillian participation may have more impact. Examining some major successes can illuminate alternative dynamics. We thus feature some specific non-Tocquevillian policies to open consideration of options.