Political ecology is one of the most vibrant fields of environmental research. This book introduces political ecology to a new generation of students in a daring new way: as an interdisciplinary approach to environmental research but also as a series of lived realities and a praxis for change.
The origins of political ecology are often traced through an Anglo-American canon. In Discovering Political Ecology, Gustav Cederlöf and Alex Loftus instead take up the challenge of presenting the key conversations and the diverse traditions that have shaped this field with attention to its extensive international roots. Inspired by voices and research in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, the authors address the concerns of those who from different social backgrounds have grown up in a world shaped by climate change and increasing environmental inequalities. Engaging and accessible in style, Discovering Political Ecology introduces a set of key concepts around which conversations in political ecology coalesce. It also shows how these concepts allow you to make sense of some of the most pressing issues of our time—issues around water, energy, agriculture, forestry, climate change and environmental justice. Each chapter includes learning outcomes and suggested further readings, extensive bibliographies and seminar activities to be used by students and educators.
At the cutting edge of the field, the book will be of interest to those in all disciplines brought together in political ecology, including but not limited to anthropology, development studies, ecology, geography, history and political science.
- Discovering political ecology
- Power
- Scale
- Nature
- Urbanisation
- Water
- Energy
- Fields and forests
- Virtual political ecology
- Seminar activities
Biography
Gustav Cederlöf is an Associate Senior Lecturer in Human Ecology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Alex Loftus is Professor of Political Ecology at King’s College London, UK.
"This book is a great contribution to political ecology. The examples are chosen from diverse places around the world, yet maintain specificity, striking a good balance between trying to capture a "global" perspective while keeping it locally grounded. It’s an interesting and captivating read and I look forward to using it in my teaching."
Alida Cantor, Assistant Professor, Portland State University Department of Geography, USA.
"This is a magnificent field guide to contemporary political ecological thought, informed by multiple scholarly and activist traditions. Written in a direct and accessible style, Discovering Political Ecology is the new indispensable text for instructors and researchers alike. It deftly weaves analytical and illustrative points to describe a rich subfield defined by its political commitments, analytical rigor, and growing set of co-conspirators. Political ecology is more important now than ever before, and this book is essential reading for all those who have felt its call to action."
Andrea Marston, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Rutgers University – New Brunswick, USA.
"A long-awaited foundational text offering a promising way forward for political ecology teaching, research and activism. Cederlöf and Loftus own up to the field’s Anglo (yet anti-colonial) roots while bringing forth more diverse scholarship and exhibiting the various manifestations of colonialism and environmental injustice around the globe and calls for action."
Anna Lavoie, Colorado State University, USA.
"This brilliant book is required for students and educators in the field of political ecology. It responds to the urgent need to decentre political ecology from the Anglo-American centricity and to open-up diverse roots, voices, perspectives and contexts that have contributed to its emergence and development."
Mathew Bukhi Mabele, University of Dodoma, Tanzania.
