|
|
|
Book Review
| Ecological Nationalisms: Nature, Livelihoods, and Identities in South Asia. Edited by Gunnel Cederlof and Kalayanakrishnan Sivarama-krishnan. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2006. xiii + 399 pp. Bibliography, photographs, maps, charts, index. Cloth $50.00.
|
| Ecological Nationalism, an edited volume of essays selected by the anthropologists Gunnel Cederlof and Kalayanakrishnan Sivaramakrishnan—of Finland's Uppsala University, and the University of Washington, respectively—is an ambitious and successful addition to the steadily growing literature on South Asian environmental history. Authors representing several academic disciplines contribute case studies concerning topics as diverse as fishery management, the spice trade, and wildlife landscapes in regions selected from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Through unusually cohesive editing, Cederlof and Sivaramakrishnan guide the conversation and extend the nationalist project recently revisited by the subaltern studies scholarly collective, and suggest that juxtaposing nationalism with the concept of ecology affords insight into South Asian environmental discourse. This book echoes and extends familiar themes for readers of Sanjay Subrahmanyam, James Scott, Benedict Anderson, and other subaltern studies scholars—such as the relationship between people and the state—and epitomizes the interdisciplinary nature of environmental history. A substantial bibliography and the inclusion of photographs, maps, charts, and ecological data are highlights of the collaboration between researchers from varied academic backgrounds and enhance the book's usefulness. |
. . . |
There are about 401 more words in this article.
Please log in (or, if you are not yet an
authorized user, please go to the
User Setup page) to gain full access rights. Or if you're already logged in register your subscription.
|
