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Discovering Nature

Globalization and Environmental Culture in China and Taiwan

Robert P Weller author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:16th Feb '06

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Discovering Nature cover

A description of the transformations in Chinese and Taiwanese responses to the environment across the twentieth century.

A description of the extraordinary transformations which have taken place in Chinese and Taiwanese responses to the environment across the twentieth century. The comparison between China and Taiwan reveals surprising similarities, showing how globalization and shared cultural traditions have outweighed political differences in shaping their environments.Robert P. Weller's richly documented account describes the extraordinary transformations which have taken place in Chinese and Taiwanese responses to the environment across the twentieth century. Indeed, both places can be said to have 'discovered' a new concept of nature. The book focuses on nature tourism, anti-pollution movements, and policy implementation to show how the global spread of western ideas about nature has interacted with Chinese traditions. Inevitably differences of understanding across groups have caused problems in administering environmental reforms. They will have to be resolved if the dynamic transformations of the 1980s are to be maintained in the twenty-first century. In spite of a century of independent political development, a comparison between China and Taiwan reveals surprising similarities, showing how globalization and shared cultural traditions have outweighed political differences in shaping their environments. The book will appeal to a broad readership from scholars of Asia, to environmentalists, and anthropologists.

'… interesting and rich in cultural and historical discourse. … an achievement of environmental sociological endeavour … a useful base for further fruitful analysis. This anthropological book on the environment should be recommended to those scholars who are watching the ever-changing social contexts in modern Asia.' Anthropos

ISBN: 9780521548410

Dimensions: 228mm x 152mm x 11mm

Weight: 300g

200 pages