Introduction: Why would you want to read a book about social science theory?
This chapter provides a clear introduction to the book, explaining the value of social science theories in developing strategies for solving complex environmental problems. It articulates why technical fixes alone, even brilliant ones based on excellent science, are rarely sufficient to influence meaningful change. Without navigating the complexities of human behaviors and relationships, their implementation is rarely effective. Social scientists have developed a massive amount of knowledge about these complexities, resulting in well-tested theories. This book is about turning those theories into strategies. This chapter explains the layout of the book and provides tips for how to make best use of it. Readers are encouraged to approach the book with an adaptive mindset, which should better enable readers to consider multiple theories within the context of any specific real world problem they might face.