Contingency, cost, and a fracking ban: Extending sociological research with the contingent valuation method
Documenting patterns of environmental concerns has been a core effort of environmental sociology since the founding of the sub-discipline. Environmental economists, on the other hand, are pre-occupied with the valuation of non-market goods like ecosystems services and environmental policy. In this article, we argue that sociologists should cautiously embrace non-market valuation methods, particularly the contingent valuation method. We provide a motivating empirical example by considering the case of support for a fracking ban among residents of Colorado, USA. Our analysis suggests that Colorado residents’ support for a fracking ban is somewhat contingent upon the costs created by said ban. We then conclude by discussing how sociologists might extend research on non-market valuation with sociological insights.
