Lawn People

Paul Robbins is Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Regional Development at the University of Arizona. He is the author of Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction.

"[Robbins] offers a clever exploration of the political ecology and actor network theory, and a sharp insight into the cynicism of capitalism in the form of the chemical industry. That is a lot for a slim, nicely illustrated and well-written book to achieve, but it does it with style and intelligence... [T]he book is readable and wide-ranging in its arguments...its analysis is relevant wherever suburban values extend... This book should be widely read and discussed." -Environmental Conservation

• Introduction Chapter 1 : Explaining Lawn People " A Profile of Lawn People " Interrogating Assumptions in Apolitical Economy " The Mutual Tyrannies of Urban Political Ecology Chapter 2 : Is the Lawn an Expression of American Culture? " The Manor House Tradition: Labor, Land and Grass " Ecological Imperialism and American Turf " The American Law Tradition " Democratic Landscape? The Spread of the Modern Lawn " Lawn Culture for Lawn Subjects Chapter 3 : Does the Lawn Necessarily Require Inputs? " What is Turfgrass and How Does it Grow? " Turfgrass Structure and Growth " Why Lawns Need So Much Care? " The Lawn's needs become those of the Turfgrass Subject Chapter 4 : Are Lawn Inputs a Hazzard? " The Dawn and Maturing of Lawn Chemistry " The Contemporary Chemical Suite " Lawn Risks Defy Regulation Chapter 5 : Does the Industry Meet or Produce Demand? " Demand or Supply? " The Lawn Commodity Chain " Producers: Searching for Buyers " Applicators: Tending the Weed Business Chapter 6 : Do Lawn People Choose Lawns? " Chemical Communities " The Lawns of Kingberry Court " Risk Citizens, Contradiction Reconcilers, Networked Actors Chapter 7 : Can Lawn People Choose Alternatives? " Landscape Alternatives " Elusiveness of Alternatives " Are Lawn Alternatives really Alternative? Chapter 8 : Becoming Turfgrass Subjects " Anxiety, Objects, Subjects and Political Economy " Epilogue: Rescuing the Environment from Determinism Appendix A: Suggestion and Sources for Lawn Alternatives " Some General Rules " Resources and Allies Appendix B: Data Development and Analysis " The National Homeowner Survey " The Applicator Survey " The Kingberry Court Interviews " The Land Cover Survey " Current Published Resources