ENV-SOC: ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | 100% VERIFIED EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION | PASS
GUARANTEE
1. Who is widely regarded as the founder of Environmental Sociology as a
formal academic discipline?
A. Emile Durkheim
B. William Catton Jr.
C. C. Wright Mills
D. Ulrich Beck
ANSWER : B
2. The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) was developed primarily to replace
which earlier framework?
A. The Social Construction Paradigm
B. The Human Exemptionalism Paradigm (HEP)
C. The World Systems Theory
D. The Risk Society Framework
ANSWER : B
3. Which concept refers to the idea that modern societies face risks that are
manufactured by human activity rather than by nature?
A. Environmental Justice
B. The Treadmill of Production
C. The Risk Society
D. Ecological Modernisation
ANSWER : C
4. The 'Treadmill of Production' theory was developed by:
A. Anthony Giddens
B. Allan Schnaiberg
, C. Frederick Buttel
D. John Bellamy Foster
ANSWER : B
5. Environmental Sociology emerged as a sub-discipline primarily during
which decade?
A. 1950s
B. 1960s
C. 1970s
D. 1980s
ANSWER : C
6. Which theoretical perspective argues that economic growth and
environmental protection can be simultaneously achieved?
A. Deep Ecology
B. Ecological Modernisation
C. World Systems Theory
D. Social Constructionism
ANSWER : B
7. The concept of 'ecological footprint' measures:
A. The number of endangered species in a region
B. The land area required to sustain a population's resource use
C. Carbon emissions per capita
D. Deforestation rates globally
ANSWER : B
8. Which of the following best describes 'environmental justice'?
A. Legal protection of endangered species
B. Fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens across
social groups
C. International environmental treaties
D. Carbon trading schemes between nations
ANSWER : B
9. 'Metabolic rift' is a concept associated with which thinker?
A. Max Weber
, B. Karl Marx (as interpreted by John Bellamy Foster)
C. Emile Durkheim
D. Herbert Spencer
ANSWER : B
10. The term 'anthropocentrism' refers to:
A. The belief that animals have rights equal to humans
B. A perspective that places human beings at the centre of moral
consideration
C. The study of human cultures across time
D. Environmental determinism
ANSWER : B
11. World Systems Theory, as applied to environmental sociology, was
significantly developed by:
A. Immanuel Wallerstein and James Rice
B. Talcott Parsons
C. Herbert Blumer
D. Erving Goffman
ANSWER : A
12. Which concept describes the process by which environmental problems
are defined and interpreted through social processes?
A. Ecological Modernisation
B. Social Construction of Environmental Problems
C. Risk Perception
D. Environmental Determinism
ANSWER : B
13. The idea that capitalism structurally requires the exploitation of both
labour and nature is central to:
A. Functionalism
B. Symbolic Interactionism
C. Eco-Marxism
D. Postmodernism
ANSWER : C
, 14. 'Biocentrism' differs from anthropocentrism in that it:
A. Values only human welfare
B. Extends moral consideration to all living organisms
C. Focuses only on endangered species
D. Prioritises economic development
ANSWER : B
15. The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development as:
A. Economic growth that does not exceed ecological limits
B. Development that meets present needs without compromising
future generations' ability to meet their own needs
C. The protection of biodiversity at all costs
D. Zero-carbon economic activity
ANSWER : B
16. Which sociologist coined the term 'second modernity' to describe the
reflexive awareness of risk in contemporary societies?
A. Zygmunt Bauman
B. Ulrich Beck
C. Anthony Giddens
D. Michel Foucault
ANSWER : B
17. The IPAT equation (Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology) was
proposed by:
A. Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren
B. Allan Schnaiberg
C. William Catton
D. Ulrich Beck
ANSWER : A
18. Environmental racism refers to:
A. Racism perpetuated by environmental activists
B. The disproportionate siting of environmental hazards in
communities of colour
C. Discrimination in access to nature reserves
D. Racial bias in conservation policy
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION | PASS
GUARANTEE
1. Who is widely regarded as the founder of Environmental Sociology as a
formal academic discipline?
A. Emile Durkheim
B. William Catton Jr.
C. C. Wright Mills
D. Ulrich Beck
ANSWER : B
2. The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) was developed primarily to replace
which earlier framework?
A. The Social Construction Paradigm
B. The Human Exemptionalism Paradigm (HEP)
C. The World Systems Theory
D. The Risk Society Framework
ANSWER : B
3. Which concept refers to the idea that modern societies face risks that are
manufactured by human activity rather than by nature?
A. Environmental Justice
B. The Treadmill of Production
C. The Risk Society
D. Ecological Modernisation
ANSWER : C
4. The 'Treadmill of Production' theory was developed by:
A. Anthony Giddens
B. Allan Schnaiberg
, C. Frederick Buttel
D. John Bellamy Foster
ANSWER : B
5. Environmental Sociology emerged as a sub-discipline primarily during
which decade?
A. 1950s
B. 1960s
C. 1970s
D. 1980s
ANSWER : C
6. Which theoretical perspective argues that economic growth and
environmental protection can be simultaneously achieved?
A. Deep Ecology
B. Ecological Modernisation
C. World Systems Theory
D. Social Constructionism
ANSWER : B
7. The concept of 'ecological footprint' measures:
A. The number of endangered species in a region
B. The land area required to sustain a population's resource use
C. Carbon emissions per capita
D. Deforestation rates globally
ANSWER : B
8. Which of the following best describes 'environmental justice'?
A. Legal protection of endangered species
B. Fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens across
social groups
C. International environmental treaties
D. Carbon trading schemes between nations
ANSWER : B
9. 'Metabolic rift' is a concept associated with which thinker?
A. Max Weber
, B. Karl Marx (as interpreted by John Bellamy Foster)
C. Emile Durkheim
D. Herbert Spencer
ANSWER : B
10. The term 'anthropocentrism' refers to:
A. The belief that animals have rights equal to humans
B. A perspective that places human beings at the centre of moral
consideration
C. The study of human cultures across time
D. Environmental determinism
ANSWER : B
11. World Systems Theory, as applied to environmental sociology, was
significantly developed by:
A. Immanuel Wallerstein and James Rice
B. Talcott Parsons
C. Herbert Blumer
D. Erving Goffman
ANSWER : A
12. Which concept describes the process by which environmental problems
are defined and interpreted through social processes?
A. Ecological Modernisation
B. Social Construction of Environmental Problems
C. Risk Perception
D. Environmental Determinism
ANSWER : B
13. The idea that capitalism structurally requires the exploitation of both
labour and nature is central to:
A. Functionalism
B. Symbolic Interactionism
C. Eco-Marxism
D. Postmodernism
ANSWER : C
, 14. 'Biocentrism' differs from anthropocentrism in that it:
A. Values only human welfare
B. Extends moral consideration to all living organisms
C. Focuses only on endangered species
D. Prioritises economic development
ANSWER : B
15. The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development as:
A. Economic growth that does not exceed ecological limits
B. Development that meets present needs without compromising
future generations' ability to meet their own needs
C. The protection of biodiversity at all costs
D. Zero-carbon economic activity
ANSWER : B
16. Which sociologist coined the term 'second modernity' to describe the
reflexive awareness of risk in contemporary societies?
A. Zygmunt Bauman
B. Ulrich Beck
C. Anthony Giddens
D. Michel Foucault
ANSWER : B
17. The IPAT equation (Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology) was
proposed by:
A. Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren
B. Allan Schnaiberg
C. William Catton
D. Ulrich Beck
ANSWER : A
18. Environmental racism refers to:
A. Racism perpetuated by environmental activists
B. The disproportionate siting of environmental hazards in
communities of colour
C. Discrimination in access to nature reserves
D. Racial bias in conservation policy
