The Environment in Anthropology: A Reader in Ecology, Culture, and Sustainable Living Edition Unstated

I bought this book after reading a review in the academic journal American Anthropologist, December 2007, Vol. 109, Iss. 4; p 767-768 by F. Wyndham. This book is an excellent addition to my library. My other Ecology text is written by a Biology Professor, R. Ricklefs, so this Anthropolgy text gives a Social Science perspective on the environment. It was a positive review in American Anthropologist.

Very current and important information to consider

This is a superb collection. Not only are the articles good ones; the whole book is a unified package that provides an unexcelled introduction to policy-related work in human ecology and environmental anthropology. It should be required reading for anyone involved in environmental policy-making!Most of the reader is anthropological, but there are economists, political scientists, biologists and others; the unifying theme is a sharp investigation of policies and their bases in belief. This ranges from outright criticism to correction of classic errors (e.g. Fairhead and Leach's classic demonstration that alleged "deforestion" practices in west Africa were actually maintaining the forest). The general conclusion is that we have to act, but we have to look first and see what we are actually doing (a step amazingly rare in this world of ours...).Richard Wilk's almost unequalled knowledge of the field and its literature, Nora Haenn's incisive and brilliant intellect, and now Allison Harnish's young but already wise and thoughtful voice make for excellent editing and commentary. One thing to flag is that the articles are all accessible and authoritative. Minimal jargon, minimal technical detail, maximum accurate take on wide issues. Many of the articles are actually well-written (and we know how rare that is in social science and in policy studies).The new edition is fuller than the first, and has updated by adding many recent articles; many old classics are gone. Human ecology is a science, so the latest tends to supersede the earlier work, though some classics deserve constant attention. More to the point: the first edition was more or less a general introduction to the field; this one is more a handbook for political and policy-related action. I have to repeat: it should be required reading for anyone who comes near policy-making in environmental issues.

This was required reading for an environmental anthropology class I took in college and I felt it was an excellent read. It's not necessarily set up like a textbook, which makes it easier and less daunting, and it's even something I would read again on my own. Worth reading!-Kris Noel Lionhead (Volume 1) The Serenity Compound