Journal article
Guns versus Climate: How Militarization Amplifies the Effect of Economic Growth on Carbon Emissions
American sociological review, v 88(3), pp 418-453
01 Jun 2023
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Building on cornerstone traditions in historical sociology, as well as work in environmental sociology and political-economic sociology, we theorize and investigate with moderation analysis how and why national militaries shape the effect of economic growth on carbon pollution. Militaries exert a substantial influence on the production and consumption patterns of economies, and the environmental demands required to support their evolving infrastructure. As far-reaching and distinct characteristics of contemporary militarization, we suggest that both the size and capital intensiveness of the world's militaries enlarge the effect of economic growth on nations' carbon emissions. In particular, we posit that each increases the extent to which the other amplifies the effect of economic growth on carbon pollution. To test our arguments, we estimate longitudinal models of emissions for 106 nations from 1990 to 2016. Across various model specifications, robustness checks, a range of sensitivity analyses, and counterfactual analysis, the findings consistently support our propositions. Beyond advancing the environment and economic growth literature in sociology, this study makes significant contributions to sociological research on climate change and the climate crisis, and it underscores the importance of considering the military in scholarship across the discipline.
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Details
- Title
- Guns versus Climate: How Militarization Amplifies the Effect of Economic Growth on Carbon Emissions
- Creators
- Andrew K. Jorgenson - University of British ColumbiaBrett Clark - University of UtahRyan P. Thombs - Boston CollegeJeffrey Kentor - Wayne State UniversityJennifer E. Givens - Utah State UniversityXiaorui Huang - Drexel UniversityHassan El Tinay - Boston CollegeDaniel Auerbach - Wyoming Department of EducationMatthew C. Mahutga - University of California, Riverside
- Publication Details
- American sociological review, v 88(3), pp 418-453
- Publisher
- Sage
- Number of pages
- 36
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Sociology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000981770100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85158898545
- Other Identifier
- 991021848613304721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Sociology