Environmental Anthropology: From Pigs to Policies

This is in my view the best text for instructors to use in an introductory course in human ecology or ecological anthropology. Just 118 pages, it is easy to read, yet covers the history of the subject all the way from Julian Steward to the influence of Roy Rappaport and his pigs to, most important for the new century, current climate change, globalization, and spiritual ecology. Students will appreciate the $14 price. I promise instructors that this is one of those rare books that will influence students for the rest of their lives. --- Thomas N. Headland, anthropologist, SIL International and University of North Dakota

This book is a short introduction to current topics in environmental anthropology, both at theoretical and practical levels. The author defines environmental anthropology as the use of anthropology's methods and theories that contribute to the understanding of local or global environmental problems. In a more general sense, the author refers to environmental anthropology as the involvement of anthropologists in environmental issues, with a variety of methods, theories, and specialized research interests. Under this umbrella are included the approaches known as ecological anthropology, evolutionary ecology, historical ecology, political ecology, ethnoecology, and others. This book covers a wide variety of selected topics, including the relationship of the technology used in production to the environment in which it is used, the way how societies respond to changes in their environment and their culture core, the role of religious rituals in the regulation of the ecosystem pressures by local groups, the study of traditional ecological knowledge, the hunting practices of indigenous peoples in the rainforest, the agricultural pressures on the environment in complex societies, the effects of land and water pollution on local populations as a result of mining activities, the assessment of risks associated with natural disasters, the relationship between population growth and environmental degradation, the association between biodiversity, medicinal plants and human health, issues in common property regimes and the increase of forest fires, the analysis of carrying capacity and the growth of environmental movements, among many other topics. The author also examines in a brief way the ideas of key authors who have made the most important contributions to environmental anthropology, including Fredrik Barth, Harold Conklin, Arturo Escobar, Clifford Geertz, Emilio Moran, Robert Netting, Darrell Posey, Roy Rappaport, Marshall Sahlins, Julian Steward, Eric Wolf, among many other representative authors. The book somehow follows a historical path, covering the period between 1940's until 2000. However, the author frequently includes references from earlier periods and is not limited by the constraints of the particular period at hand when trying to illustrate a topic. From my perspective, the book is an especially important source of knowledge for students that are not familiar with the issues that are the subject of environmental anthropology, and also for students who have become acquainted with these issues in a fragmentary way. By providing a general overview of the different topics covered in this area of concentration, it opens up and stimulates the reader's desire for further exploration. It provides a general framework to understand the wide array of areas covered in environmental anthropology, ranging from the contributions of classical author's to contemporary global problems. This book is also a very important source of knowledge for students fro

This is a useful book for those planning on getting into Environmental Anthropology (because there are so many of us). Gives a good introduction on what Env. Anth is all about

Very useful if you're planning on getting into Environmental Anthropology (because there are so many of us) to help understand the different areas available to study. Good intro book

I have twice used Townsend's book in a mixed graduate/undergraduate class on cultural ecology and found it quite satisfactory. The style and vocabulary are accessible to anyone with a high school education. The author presents the basic concepts of human and environmental ecology in a brief and comprehensible way. The book could be of use in either a general introductory course, I specialized class like mine, or an area class on the South Pacific. I recommend it highly.