Sociology and EcoHealth

Making connections between human and non-human animals and social-physical environments were key themes of the AsiaPacific EcoHealth Conference in Melbourne, Australia in December 2007.  Experts in health promotion, environmental health, sociology, urban planning, economics, conservation, environmental management, education, veterinary sciences, and community activism gathered to discuss the interdependence between human health, ecology and sustainability.

‘Ecological Literacies in Social Scientific Research on Health and Illness’ was the title of the talk I gave which described the kinds of skills sociologists bring to multi-disciplinary research teams studying complex issues and, more specifically, identified ways that sociologists are contributing to research on human-environment health events. I reviewed key texts within the sub-discipline of the sociology of health and illness which link health and the natural environment. The central finding of this study is that seven key themes are currently being developed within important journals such as the Sociology of Health and Illness and Social Science and Medicine:

a) the toxic environment,

b) living environment and health,

c) the degraded environment and health,

d) the environment, climate volatility and health,

e) the environment, health inequalities and justice

f) public health and the environment

g) infectious diseases and the environment.

However, the human-animal interface, while not an explicit focus of this particular study, does not spontaneously emerge within this literature which suggests that the work of members of the BSA AHSG is urgently needed if the development of an ecosystem approach to health and wellbeing is to be developed within sociology - one that pays explicit attention to the interdependence of all sentient beings. Strong support for the study of human-animal relationships exists within the EcoHealth community that is open to transdisciplinary exploration.

More about Ecohealth

Also see  http://www.ecohealth.net/

Maya Gislason, SSHRC Scholar
Doctoral Research Student
School of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies
University of Sussex, England

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