Living with Nature
Environmental Politics as Cultural Discourse
Frank Fischer editor Maarten Hajer editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:24th Jun '99
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Despite the optimism of the `Earth Summit' held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the politics of environmental sustainable development has reached an impasse. Why do issues of environmental protection continue to take a back seat to economic competition, particularly in the international realm? Once the environmental problem was widely recognised, it was held that consensus could be reached. In practice, however, the development of sustainability had often continued to merely extend earlier technocratic practices and solutions, which fail to take into consideration the specific cultural questions. Living With Nature seeks to place the question of the dynamics of environmental crisis within a socio-cultural dimension of the existing economic and political institutions. The book argues for a need to find a new balance between a theoretical analysis of the debate and an appreciation of local circumstances, norms and knowledge. Politically, it implies an implicit understanding of the way in which we live together with nature.
Hajer and Fischer are to be congratulated for bringing together such a variegated collection of essays * Andrew Dobson, Political Studies Vol 49, No 2, June 2001 *
the books appeal is that it addresses the need for a reappreciation of the importance of cultural diversity to counter the rationalising global discourse of sustainable development and it contributes to the debate about how to interpret sustainablity in the context of each community, its ecological imperatives, socail organisation and cultural beliefs. ... a useful and provocative set of essays that help alert us to the continuing need to challenge globalising discourses that assume cultural consistency and obedience to a western privileged worldview. * Malcolm Plant, Environmental Education Research, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2001 *
I would recommend this book for its central aims, which are well conceived. * American Political Science Review *
David Harvey provides a particularly useful overview of the principal environmentalist discourses to be found today. * American Political Science Review *
fascinating collection of essays. * Peter Brand, Jnl. Envir. Planning & Mngmnt, 43(3), 2000. *
This book is an excellent and focused reader, and contains accessible work for student seminars and a wealth of fecund material for reseachers. Most of all, perhaps, it should be on the bedside table of all technical experts on the environment. * Peter Brand, Jnl. Envir. Planning & Mngmnt, 43(3), 2000. *
Living with Nature ... opens up new horizons by conceptualising environmental politics primarily as a cultural discourse. * Hein-Anton Van Der Heijden, Environmental Politics, Vol.9, No.2. *
Sometimes, at most once a year, a book is published that shocks you and at the same time brings about a new order in your head. After reading you wonder how you ever could think differently. living with nature is such a book. * Hein-Anton Van Der Heijden, Environmental Politics, Vol.9, No.2. *
ISBN: 9780198295099
Dimensions: 233mm x 156mm x 16mm
Weight: 414g
284 pages