Making Political Ecology

Description

Making Political Ecology presents a comprehensive view of an important new field in human geography and interdisciplinary studies of nature-society relations. Tracing the development of political ecology from its origins in geography and ecological anthropology in the 1970s, to its current status as an established field, the book investigates how late twentieth-century developments in social and ecological theories are brought together to create a powerful framework for comprehending environmental problems. Making Political Ecology argues for an inclusionary conceptualization of the field, which absorbs empirical studies from urban, rural, First World and Third World contexts and the theoretical insights of feminism, poststructuralism, neo-Marxism and non-equilibrium ecology. Throughout the book, excerpts from the writings of key figures in political ecology provide an empirical grounding for abstract theoretical concepts. Making Political Ecology will convince readers of political ecology's particular suitability for grappling with the most difficult questions concerning social justice, environmental change and human relationships with nature.

Roderick P. Neumann is Associate Professor of Geography at Florida International University, USA.

'An excellent book - clear focus, good survey of literature.' -- Dr R Elmhurst, University of Brighton 20050424 The goal of this series (hence the slightly awkward title) is to provide a critical overview and assessment of major conceptual streams in human geography . Meumann has achieved this in style, and produced a valuable contribution to ongoing debates over political ecology. -- Geography Volume 90 (3) 20051115 'This book is exceptionally well written and covers an impressive range of material ! Making Political Ecology is a very welcome contribution to the field and can be highly recommended both as a textbook for graduate students as well as a must-read for anyone interested in the field of political ecology.' -- Development and Change, Bram E. Buscher, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 20061201