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Contents:

1 - Young people and the environment: a cross-cultural study; 2 - Japan; 3 - China - Guangzhou; 4 - China - Hong Kong; 5 - Thailand; 6 - India; 7 - Singapore; 8 - Brunei Darussalam; 9 - Australia; 10 Aotearoa - New Zealand; 11 - Fiji; 12 - USA; 13 - Synthesis.

Review:

It is one thing to produce environmental and ecological curricula; it is another to get those learning from such ideas to form their own views and actually get out and do something. Perhaps the first recognition is that people should be interested. From this point of view, ecology and environmental science have been remarkably successful across nations, cultures and ages. The first National Parks were created and sustained by people with a love of nature and the knowledge that 'something should be done'. It was this interest more than any other cause that led to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring to be so effective. There was the basis of science but it was the interest that drove them on. Today we have far greater knowledge but is there the concomitant rise in interest? Even a cursory glance would suggest not and so it demands that we investigate the reasons for this. The book is the result of a research programme into environmental attitudes amongst Asia-Pacific students. This group makes an ideal study because it contains such a heterogeneity of cultures, races, religions, incomes and education. In addition, it has changed considerably over the past few decades creating both a series of nations wealthy enough to support environmental movements and to need them by virtue of the problems being created.

This book starts with an overview of the region and the study. The editors briefly but accurately convey the diversity of this region in all its aspects. It then turns to describe, in more detail, the nature of the study. The work had two parts: to assess cultural influences on environmental concerns and to seek student responses in a range of nations. The former was published some two years earlier leaving us with only a brief outline of its results. The latter becomes the focus of this slim text. We are told that 10,000 students took part in this study which used a focussed questionnaire as its basis. To place the research in academic context, the editors describe the theoretical perspectives upon which they based their work. Sadly, we are given only a brief review here (with major analysis being in the first text). Although this is understandable, it is to be regretted because it would help those new to the work to gain greater insight. After this initial chapter, each team describes the work carried out in their nation. The first, dealing with Japan, gives some idea of the work in the remaining chapters. We are given a very brief outline of geography and cultural development with regards to the environment. Slightly more space is given to developments in the subject over the past few decades with particular emphasis on cultural responses and environmental education programmes. Much of the remaining chapter is taken up with the presentation and analysis of results. A brief conclusion draws together key threads which, added to a brief bibliography concludes that work. This is continued, with variations in space and details for the other case studies. A final chapter draws together key strands of the research and puts forward some suggestions for further development of environmental education (the editors eschew firm ideas and prefer to consider that each should develop their own programme according to their culture and interests).

It is easy to be ambivalent about this text. On the one hand it provides a useful insight into the thoughts of school students (mostly age 15-17). The sheer size of the sample group and the work shown here demands our attention: all educators should read this text. On the other hand it provides little detail and fewer ideas for prescription (where do we go from here?). At least part of the problem is that we spent considerable resources on understanding the environment and translating this into syllabuses and curricula and too little time considering how we might best convey this information. Much work in ecology and the environment is complex and even a basic understanding requires mental resources that might be above the target group in younger students. If we can say that our new goal is an understanding of the way in which students relate to the material then we can see this book as a pointer on the way. It still leaves us with the ethical dilemma of prescriptive change (when does transmitting concern become brainwashing?) but it also might mean that we can promote a greater interest in informed scientific debate and change.