Global Consciousness and Climate Change: Sociological Perspectives

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Enhancing the possibility of dealing effectively with climate change depends greatly upon the development and understanding of global consciousness. The latter concept is explored historically and comparatively in some detail. This exploration is related to the issue of natural disasters and, more specifically, contemporary perceptions of different aspects of climate change. A crucial feature of global consciousness is its increasing reflexivity, involving a long-term shift from the world being in-itself to a condition of the world being for-itself. On the other hand, the latter is by no means a matter of consensus. Being for-itself will -- indeed, is -- heavily contested. The comprehension of the phenomenon of the changing character of global consciousness is essential to the discourse of climate change. It is argued that if the the current discourse of such change continues to neglect the very conditions of its own foundation it will be relatively fruitless. The paper is located within the author's own multidimensional conception of globalization.

Stream: Technical, Political and Social Responses

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Professor at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, with continuing positions at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and Tsinghua University, China. Work translated into at least twenty languages and have held visiting appointments in eight countries. Author or editor of approximately 15 volumes and hundreds of articles and chapters. Books include: Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture (Sage); The Sociological Interpretation of Religion (Blackwell); Encyclopedia of Globalization (Roultledge); Globalization and Football; and Meaning and Change (Blackwell). Have been elected to prominent positions in various organizations. Am on the editorial boards of a number of social-scientific journals in a number of different countries. Major interests include globalization and glocalization; human society and its environment; religion and culture; multiculturalism and multiculturality; ethnic diversity and nationalism; individual and collective identities; surveillance and security.