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Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction
This text presents a critical survey of the burgeoning field of political ecology, an interdisciplinary area of research which connects politics and economy to problems of environmental control and ecological change.
242 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 3, 2013
This is an ok introduction to Political Ecology, however I found Robbins often found the most difficult way to say something. He spent a lot of time telling you what Political Ecology wasn't. Often it was not clear as to whether the opinion being put forth was that of the author, or just one he was trying to illustrate. I did like how he used five arguments in political ecology to look at the discipline from different angles. This showed some real-world applications of each thesis in the context of Political Ecology.
A good book overall, but could be clearer.
A good book overall, but could be clearer.
August 1, 2019
Paul Robbins’ Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction “is designed to show political ecology as something people do” and “suggest that it constitutes a community of practice and characterizes a certain kind of text.”
This book started with reviewing what political ecology has been. Then the author summarized the challenges to the field from 3 sources: ecology, social construction, and explanation. Although in chapter 7, instead of directly explaining the challenges of explanation for political ecology, the author listed the problems of “land change science” and “causal explanation” from the perspective of political ecology and also lessons political ecology can learn from them. In part III, five central theses were examined in five independent chapters. These chapters are structured very well in the sequence of the argument-the evidence-evaluating the thesis-research example. The book is ended with a critical evaluation of political ecology’s status and pointed out that political ecology can be expanded and improved by “reaching increasingly both outward to a more synthetic global politics and inward to a highly immersive form of practice.”
Besides, this book also includes boxed critical summaries of important researches in political ecology. We can even read of direct reflections and responses from authors of mentioned publications. This is very thoughtful because it allows readers to understand political ecology as something done by real people. The References of the book also offers a good further reading list for readers who are attracted by this critical introduction.
After chewing the whole book, the readers could get a feel about the practice of political ecology. As an inexperienced student, my first impression about Paul Robbins’ Political Ecology is that it extended my thinking process to every corner of human-environmental geography. It emphasizes the importance of details as well as broader structures, although the author still stresses the future need for reaching deeper and higher. The dialectical relationship between human and environment makes this process an endless one.
The highlight of the book is a series of questions raised by the author and demonstration case studies to show readers that politics is not only about the drama of different interest parties. It will be inscribed into the landscape and the ecological process. At the same time, the ecological system would respond with results that feedback into the political system. Therefore, this book would work very well as the textbook for political ecology courses and writing accompany for political ecologists. It is inspiring to review the questions listed in the book for researchers. For my own research interest in grassland management in Inner Mongolia, I marked a lot of questions as necessary ones to think about, such as “What causes regional forest loss? Who benefits from wildlife conservation efforts and who loses? What political movements have grown from local land-use transitions?” One practice that the author can add to readers is to formulate their own questions list after reading the book.
What’s more, for readers who speak English as a second language, it would also be wise to recite some paragraphs to nurture good English writing on political ecology.
Therefore, for a 288-page book, it successfully accomplished both aims mentioned at the very beginning.
As for the weakness of the book, there are so many terms from political ecology in this book that the inexperienced readers would get lost. It would be a good idea to draw diagrams to help with comprehending the content. Trying to introduce the identity, history, challenges, major theses, and the evaluation of political ecology, the quality of the text is not consistent through the book. For example, Chapter 7 on challenges in explanation is not as thorough as Chapter 6 on challenges in social construction.
Overall, this book deserves reading because it helps to develop maturity in thinking about human and environmental problems. I would re-visit the book time after time to promote my process of doing better at reaching higher and deeper in grassland research.
This book started with reviewing what political ecology has been. Then the author summarized the challenges to the field from 3 sources: ecology, social construction, and explanation. Although in chapter 7, instead of directly explaining the challenges of explanation for political ecology, the author listed the problems of “land change science” and “causal explanation” from the perspective of political ecology and also lessons political ecology can learn from them. In part III, five central theses were examined in five independent chapters. These chapters are structured very well in the sequence of the argument-the evidence-evaluating the thesis-research example. The book is ended with a critical evaluation of political ecology’s status and pointed out that political ecology can be expanded and improved by “reaching increasingly both outward to a more synthetic global politics and inward to a highly immersive form of practice.”
Besides, this book also includes boxed critical summaries of important researches in political ecology. We can even read of direct reflections and responses from authors of mentioned publications. This is very thoughtful because it allows readers to understand political ecology as something done by real people. The References of the book also offers a good further reading list for readers who are attracted by this critical introduction.
After chewing the whole book, the readers could get a feel about the practice of political ecology. As an inexperienced student, my first impression about Paul Robbins’ Political Ecology is that it extended my thinking process to every corner of human-environmental geography. It emphasizes the importance of details as well as broader structures, although the author still stresses the future need for reaching deeper and higher. The dialectical relationship between human and environment makes this process an endless one.
The highlight of the book is a series of questions raised by the author and demonstration case studies to show readers that politics is not only about the drama of different interest parties. It will be inscribed into the landscape and the ecological process. At the same time, the ecological system would respond with results that feedback into the political system. Therefore, this book would work very well as the textbook for political ecology courses and writing accompany for political ecologists. It is inspiring to review the questions listed in the book for researchers. For my own research interest in grassland management in Inner Mongolia, I marked a lot of questions as necessary ones to think about, such as “What causes regional forest loss? Who benefits from wildlife conservation efforts and who loses? What political movements have grown from local land-use transitions?” One practice that the author can add to readers is to formulate their own questions list after reading the book.
What’s more, for readers who speak English as a second language, it would also be wise to recite some paragraphs to nurture good English writing on political ecology.
Therefore, for a 288-page book, it successfully accomplished both aims mentioned at the very beginning.
As for the weakness of the book, there are so many terms from political ecology in this book that the inexperienced readers would get lost. It would be a good idea to draw diagrams to help with comprehending the content. Trying to introduce the identity, history, challenges, major theses, and the evaluation of political ecology, the quality of the text is not consistent through the book. For example, Chapter 7 on challenges in explanation is not as thorough as Chapter 6 on challenges in social construction.
Overall, this book deserves reading because it helps to develop maturity in thinking about human and environmental problems. I would re-visit the book time after time to promote my process of doing better at reaching higher and deeper in grassland research.
September 8, 2019
Great overview
Great overview of the field with applicable examples. Could use more references to works authored by people of color. Chapter 5 and 6 should be references and discussed earlier on to acknowledge the fields controversial roots in colonialism and to acknowledge that the field itself wrestles with this. Other
Great overview of the field with applicable examples. Could use more references to works authored by people of color. Chapter 5 and 6 should be references and discussed earlier on to acknowledge the fields controversial roots in colonialism and to acknowledge that the field itself wrestles with this. Other
April 2, 2021
This book is highly recommended for anyone who would like an introduction to political ecology/development studies. It discusses many aspects of geography, ecology, politics, surveillance and many other things in a way that is easily digestable. It presents interesting ways of examining society beyond just our immediate surroundings. Incorporating politcs, the environmental, and capitalism.
March 18, 2021
A very useful material to exploring Ecology and its new perspectives from economy, policital sciences and global studies.
March 17, 2023
Repetitive, but great insight into an improved approach to conservation in the Western world.
April 19, 2023
Read for class.
April 19, 2021
what an incredible introduction to political ecology. i finally found the field that combines everything im interested in. marxism, postcolonialism, feminism, and ecology/environmentalism. is this the most based field of all time?
October 14, 2014
Usually I wouldn't review course literature, but hey, I read it cover to cover (metaphorically: I read it online), so it counts.
While Political Ecology is an interesting subject, I'm not sure this book captured my interest as much as it should have. The author had an annoying tendency to present an interesting case, and then go nowhere with it. No conclusion or anything, just simply "this is a thing that happened". V annoying.
While Political Ecology is an interesting subject, I'm not sure this book captured my interest as much as it should have. The author had an annoying tendency to present an interesting case, and then go nowhere with it. No conclusion or anything, just simply "this is a thing that happened". V annoying.
November 2, 2014
fast paced w tons of connections to work that pioneered political ecology. made me think about a few things. turned me on to new people. critical of j. diamond so thats something i will be thinking of
October 7, 2008
The book gives us the notions and landscape of eco-political ideologies living in the mindset of global societies.
March 27, 2023
I hate the US education system, therefore I hate this textbook.
October 2, 2016
For class - political ecology seminar
October 7, 2012
It's informative, and marvelously so, but I am distracted with other books
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews