Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Follow the author
OK
What is Environmental History (What is History series) 1st Edition
There is a newer edition of this item:
-
ISBN-100745631886
-
ISBN-13978-0745631882
-
Edition1st
-
PublisherPolity
-
Publication dateDecember 22, 2006
-
LanguageEnglish
-
Dimensions5.7 x 0.9 x 8.8 inches
-
Print length181 pages
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Editorial Reviews
Review
--Philip Conford, Rural History
"Anyone seeking help in navigating the shoals of environmental history will give fulsome thanks to Don Hughes for this book. It is far and away the best guide yet to the issues and historiography of this emerging field, spanning the globe and delving into the deep as well as recent past."
--J. R. McNeill, Georgetown University
"What is Environmental History? is a masterfully condensed overview of one of the most urgent and rapidly developing fields of history. Written by a scholar of classical antiquity, it gracefully covers ancient, medieval, and modern periods – with a global vision. A state-of-the-art report for any scholar, and a perfect introduction for the student."
--Sverker Sörlin, Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Polity; 1st edition (December 22, 2006)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 181 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0745631886
- ISBN-13 : 978-0745631882
- Item Weight : 13.7 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.7 x 0.9 x 8.8 inches
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon-
Top reviews
Top review from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Top reviews from other countries
Hughes identifies a number of themes in environmental history such as: a) the environment itself, b) the impact of humans on the environmental, and c) human thought about the environment. He argues that
environmental historians are a "varied group"(3). Hughes cites Warren Dean's With Broadax and Firebrand: The Destruction of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, as "a model for writing environmental history." He also references William McNeil's "Plagues and People," Crosby's "The Columbian Exchange," and Jared Diamond's "Collapse." In the sphere of political decision-making, Hughes argues that environmentalists are often struggling with powerful opponents.
As a scholarly discipline, Hughes theorizes (as many other environmental historians) that environment history is multidisciplinary, and owes much to the social sciences and political science. He does contend that environment history is most related to the natural sciences. Hughes also acknowledges that political environmental policy is important and not to be neglected as an area of academic study. Hughes references environmental works such as: Samuel Hayes's "A History of Environmental Politics since 1945," Glacken's "Traces on the Rhodian Shore," Richard Grove's El Nino studies, and Paul Sears's "Ecology a Subversive Subject" (1964).
Tracing environmental and "older" history, Hughes traces ancient Greek and Roman references to the environment. He references Chinese philosopher Mencius as an advocate for land management and conservation. In the "newer" history he identifies the need to integrate political history, diplomatic history, and women's history, with environment history. Hughes writes, "Environmental history cannot afford to ignore the realities of political and military power and national, economic, and ethnic groups ... Every environmental struggle is at its foundations, a struggle among interests about power" (116). In the context of "newer" environmental history he references: Richard Grove's "Green Imperialism," Alfred Crosby's "Ecological Imperialism," George Perkins Marsh's Man and Nature," and John McNeil's "Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century."
In U.S. environmental history Hughes notes the strong progressive influence on modern conservation and the impact of personalities such as: Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and John Muir. He credits the progressives with the creation of U.S. National Parks, National Forests, and Wilderness areas. Hughes establishes the link between the early twentieth century conservation movement and the late century environmental movement and such events as the first Earth Day (April 22, 1970) and the founding of EPA in 1974. Hughes highlights the importance of U.S, urban environmental history. He recommends Melo Martin's "Effluent America," Joel Tarr's "The Search for the Ultimate Sink: Urban Pollution in Historical Perspective," and Mike Davis's "The Ecology of Fear." He also addresses the issue of environmental justice as researched by authors such as Carolyn Merchant in "Earthcare: Women and the Environment," and Susan Schrepfer in "Nature's Alters.
Hughes suggests that the non-U.S. environmental history literature is extensive. In India he cites "The Fissured Land," by Gadgil and Guha, which argues about a strong British colonial influence in forest management, and draws on abundant colonial records (London). Canada he says, has significant work in environmental history by authors such as Dorsey, Sandlos, and Tina Leo. Hughes also credits European environmental historians for contributing a vast body of work on the subject. For example, he points out that Scotland has a rich tradition of environmental history. Holland, he offers, has extensive experience in water management. Germany he writes, has a strong green movement and a extensive history of forest management. Hughes says that the French Annales tradition, such as Braudel's history of the Mediterranean, is very compatible with environmental history. For China, Hughes recommends "Mao's War Against Nature," by Judith Shapiro, and "Tiger, Rice, Silk and Silt," by Robert Marks. For Australia and Pacific basin Hughes suggests Geoffrey Bolton's "Spoils and Spoiler," and John McNeil's "Of Rats and Men." The environmental work he most recommends for Africa is James McCann's "Green Land, Brown Land, Black Land." He concludes his suggestions on global environmental literature by proposing for Latin America works by Alfred Crosby (The Columbian Exchange), and Melville's "A Plague of Sheep."
Hughes concludes by reviewing overall environmental themes such as environmental "determinism," which he defines as "the theory that history is inevitably guided by forces not of human origin or choice." He cites Jared Diamond's writings as an example. Next he addresses the issue of the supposed weakness of environmental historians when it comes to theory. Hughes writes that environmental historians and historians in general are often accused of being "light on theory." He responds by quoting James O'Connor, a Marxist economist and sociologist, who suggested that "environmental history is at the very center of historiography today" (101). On the issue of population and population he suggests that environmental historians are hesitant to address the population issue, and worried to be accused of "Malthusianism or racism." Hughes suggests that "population growth is the most potent engine driving environmental destruction." (103). In the sphere of international policy, Hughes argues that international trade agreements such as: GATT, EU Treaties, NAFTA, and international organizations such as: IMF, IBRD (World Bank), UN, and WTO; have had an immense influence on global environmental issues. Prominent international environmental issues include energy consumption (i.e., Wood, Coal, Oil), biodiversity preservation (i.e., species endangered), and the last threatened commons (oceans and seas).
Hughes finishes by suggesting works on "Doing Environmental History." He recommends Carolyn Merchant's "The Columbia Guide to American Environmental History," Donald Worster's "The Ends of the Earth," and William Cronon's "A Place for Stories." Hughes writes that environmental history requires an understanding of the natural sciences, environmental politics, and economics. As for the future of environmental history, he ends by writing, "no mortal can keep up with all the literature."
For environmental historians, this work should be required reading. It is not only academically informative, it also opens up the world of environmental history to the average person.