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Contents:

1 - What is political ecology?; 2 - A tree with deep roots; 3 -The critical tools; 4 - A field crystallizes; 5 - Destruction of nature: human impact and environmental degradation; 6 - Construction of nature: environmental knowledges and imaginaries; 7 - Degradation and marginalisation; 8 - Conservation and control; 9 - Environmental conflict; 10 - Environmental identity and social movement; 11 - Where to now?

Review:

The field of political ecology has grown considerably. There is a range of texts on most issues. Just like its geographical equivalent, political ecology covers a wide range of disciplines: it is important to see where any given text is aimed to appreciate its utility.

Rather than attempt to describe the entire field, this author is looking at political ecology as something that is done rather than a body of information collected. As such it aims to look at how research is done and what can be gleaned from it. The book is divided into four parts. Part one attempts to describe the nature of political ecology. Chapter one starts with some definitions but rather than be content to describe, subjects them to a more critical reasoning. The notion is put forward that there have been a diversity of views but that each one shares a common set of principles - degradation, conflict, control and social identity. Chapter two takes a more historical perspective starting with Kropotkin and building from there. After outlining the development of the subject, it is argued that, far from being a new study, political ecology has been around for some time. Political ecology has developed a series of analytical tools but, as chapter three demonstrates, this has not been overnight. As the subject has grown so new areas of analysis have been brought to bear e.g. peasant studies and feminist theory. The result is a strong, critical science. Part two looks at conceptual and methodological issues. Chapter four tackles the problems of environmental degradation. Given that much of the planet has had some human impact the obvious question is 'where is the baseline' but even that is a far from simple issue! Chapter five follows the same theme closely to look at the extent to which any environment is 'natural' and not part of one's own perceptions. Part three, an examination of current political ecology, takes the four themes identified in chapter one and subjects each to the same critical analysis: basic tenets are put forward, evidence is presented and evaluation carried out. Chapter 7 looks at degradation and modernisation through the case of the Amazon rain forest. Here, development is carried out seemingly to benefit locals but in reality it creates more problems than it solves. Chapter 8, conservation and control, examines the idea that land development has been taken out of the hands of land users and into bureaucracies such as the conservation movement. Local know better but do they get the opportunity? Chapter 9, environmental conflict, is based on the idea of control of scarce environmental resources. Chapter 10 takes on the final argument, environmental identity and social movement. Here local groups, by managing the environment, get some power with it and so can reduce the effects of more powerful outside interests. Part four is the single, last chapter which summarises that cases and puts forward a research agenda.

This is an excellent, refreshing text (if at times demanding of the reader). A series of great timelines and text boxes help the tyro to put things into perspective. What stands out here is not the repetition of basic themes (although we do get the basis of the subject area) but the dynamism of the field and the author's belief that more should be done. It's a critical text but a positive one. Sadly, too advanced for school students (who might benefit from some of the ideas nonetheless); it should be seen as a set text on all political ecology courses and deserves the widest readership.