The Dialectical Primatologist

The Past, Present and Future of Life in the Hominoid Niche

Nicholas Malone author Agustín Fuentes editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:25th Oct '21

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The Dialectical Primatologist cover

The Dialectical Primatologist identifies the essential parameters vital for the continued coexistence of hominoids (apes and humans), synthesising primate research and conservation in order to develop culturally compelling conservation strategies required for the facilitation of hominoid coexistence.

As unsustainable human activities threaten many primate species with extinction, effective conservation strategies for endangered primates will depend upon our understanding of behavioural response to human-modified habitats. This is especially true for the apes, who are arguably our most powerful connection to the natural world. Recognising the inseparability of the natural and the social, the dialectical approach in this book highlights the heterogeneity and complexity of ecological relationships. Malone stresses that ape conservation requires a synthesis of nature and culture that recognises their inseparability in ecological relationships that are both biophysically and socially formed, and seeks to identify the pathways that lead to either hominoid coexistence or, alternatively, extinction.

This book will be of keen interest to academics in biological anthropology, primatology, environmental anthropology, conservation and human–animal studies.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Drawing from his primate socioecological and ethnographic field research in Java, Indonesia, Nicholas Malone advocates for a dialectical approach to the study of ape sociality. This approach recognizes contingency, the inseparability of the natural and the social, and the important role that context plays in the questions we ask about our closest living relatives, the data we collect, and the interpretations we make. Importantly, the Dialectical Primatologist is not merely a theoretical endeavor; Malone acknowledges that "the living apes are in serious trouble" and smartly illustrates how knowledge gained using a dialectical approach can inform ape conservation and management efforts. For example, documenting the social variability and ecological flexibility of the gibbons and other apes, particularly in the face of expanding anthropogenic pressures, has important implications for the design of reintroduction and rehabilitation protocols and efforts to facilitate human-ape coexistence moving forward. Scholars and advanced students from an array of fields including anthropology, philosophy, science studies, bioethics, and human-animal studies will find great interest in this thought-provoking book. - Dr. Erin P. Riley, San Diego State University

ISBN: 9780367211240

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 417g

192 pages