Part I: the principles and issues of environmental sociology -- Perspectives of environmental sociology: the issues of the second stage -- Sociology of environmental issues: a look at the downstream side -- Part II: the sociology of environmental movements -- Environmental issues and movements -- Motivating and mobilizing the environmental movements -- Researching and developing environmental movements -- The environmental movements and policy research -- Anti-pollution lawsuits in the public sphere -- Anti-nuclear power movements as new social movements -- Regional referendums: community responses to nuclear facilities -- The dynamics of social movements and official policies: green electricity -- Civil society and the new public sphere -- Environmental movements and the new public sphere -- Transforming the citizens' sector -- Conclusion: towards a vibrant civil society.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 277-299) and index.