Kay Milton - Böcker

First published in 1994. ln Protecting the Periphery the editors present a series of papers revealing the impact of EU policies on environmental quality in regions at the edge of the European Union and in those lying just outside it. In many cases these regions contain habitats and landscapes of international importance; they have also often escaped some of the environmental damage caused by industrialization. But, as the papers' reveal, attempts by the EU to safeguard these environmental benefits are often contradicted by the EU’s own development policies, bringing air pollution from new roads, contamination from new industries, and leading to habitat destruction from modern agricultural practices and increases in tourism. As the Union pushes for the deepening of the integration process, including completing the internal market, the pressures on the periphery's environment are increasing. Furthermore, the efforts of the periphery to catch-up economically with the developed core can often heighten the tension between economic considerations on the one hand and the need for environmental protection on the other. The studies in this book examine the ambivalent responses to EU environmental policy among policy-makers and environmentalists in the periphery. Both the willingness as well as the capacity of the periphery to protect its environmental heritage are explored. In particular, the administrative capacity, institutional arrangements, political culture as well as economic development needs are taken into account in an examination of the nature of the periphery’s response to and implementation of Union environmental policy. The book will appeal to policy-makers and academics in the countries of the European periphery and to analysts of European policy-making everywhere, especially those concerned with environmental policy and politics.

First published in 1994. ln Protecting the Periphery the editors present a series of papers revealing the impact of EU policies on environmental quality in regions at the edge of the European Union and in those lying just outside it. In many cases these regions contain habitats and landscapes of international importance; they have also often escaped some of the environmental damage caused by industrialization. But, as the papers' reveal, attempts by the EU to safeguard these environmental benefits are often contradicted by the EU’s own development policies, bringing air pollution from new roads, contamination from new industries, and leading to habitat destruction from modern agricultural practices and increases in tourism. As the Union pushes for the deepening of the integration process, including completing the internal market, the pressures on the periphery's environment are increasing. Furthermore, the efforts of the periphery to catch-up economically with the developed core can often heighten the tension between economic considerations on the one hand and the need for environmental protection on the other. The studies in this book examine the ambivalent responses to EU environmental policy among policy-makers and environmentalists in the periphery. Both the willingness as well as the capacity of the periphery to protect its environmental heritage are explored. In particular, the administrative capacity, institutional arrangements, political culture as well as economic development needs are taken into account in an examination of the nature of the periphery’s response to and implementation of Union environmental policy. The book will appeal to policy-makers and academics in the countries of the European periphery and to analysts of European policy-making everywhere, especially those concerned with environmental policy and politics.

Located in a wide spectrum of current research and practice, from analyses of green ideology and imagery, enviromental law and policy, and local enviromental activism in the West to ethnographic studies of relationships between humans and their enviroments in hunter/gatherer societies, Enviromentalism: The View from Anthropology offers an original perspective on what is probably the best-known issue of the late twentieth century.It will be particularly useful to all social scientists interested in environmentalism and human ecology, to environmental policy-makers and to undergraduates, lecturers and researchers in social anthropology, development studies and sociology.

The last decade has seen a dramatic increase in the attention paid by social scientists to environmental issues, and a gradual acknowledgement, in the wider community, of the role of social science in the public debate on sustainability. At the same time, the concept of `culture', once the property of anthropologists has gained wide currency among social scientist. These trends have taken place against a growing perception, among specialist and public, of the global nature of contemporary issues. This book shows how an understanding of culture can throw light on the way environmental issues are perceived and interpreted, both by local communities and within the contemporary global arena.Taking an anthropological approach the book examines the relationship between human culture and human ecology, and considers how a cultural approach to the study of environmental issues differs from other established approaches in social science. This book adds significantly to our understanding of environmentalism as a contemporary phenomenon, by demonstrating the distinctive contribution of social and cultural anthropology to the environmental debate. It will be of particular interest to students and researchers in the fields of social science and the environment.

The last decade has seen a dramatic increase in the attention paid by social scientists to environmental issues, and a gradual acknowledgement, in the wider community, of the role of social science in the public debate on sustainability. At the same time, the concept of `culture', once the property of anthropologists has gained wide currency among social scientist. These trends have taken place against a growing perception, among specialist and public, of the global nature of contemporary issues. This book shows how an understanding of culture can throw light on the way environmental issues are perceived and interpreted, both by local communities and within the contemporary global arena.Taking an anthropological approach the book examines the relationship between human culture and human ecology, and considers how a cultural approach to the study of environmental issues differs from other established approaches in social science. This book adds significantly to our understanding of environmentalism as a contemporary phenomenon, by demonstrating the distinctive contribution of social and cultural anthropology to the environmental debate. It will be of particular interest to students and researchers in the fields of social science and the environment.

As the full effects of human activity on Earth's life-support systems are revealed by science, the question of whether we can change, fundamentally, our relationship with nature becomes increasingly urgent. Just as important as an understanding of our environment, is an understanding of ourselves, of the kinds of beings we are and why we act as we do. In Loving Nature Kay Milton considers why some people in Western societies grow up to be nature lovers, actively concerned about the welfare and future of plants, animals, ecosystems and nature in general, while others seem indifferent or intent on destroying these things. Drawing on findings and ideas from anthropology, psychology, cognitive science and philosophy, the author discusses how we come to understand nature as we do, and above all, how we develop emotional commitments to it. Anthropologists, in recent years, have tended to suggest that our understanding of the world is shaped solely by the culture in which we live. Controversially Kay Milton argues that it is shaped by direct experience in which emotion plays an essential role. The author argues that the conventional opposition between emotion and rationality in western culture is a myth. The effect of this myth has been to support a market economy which systematically destroys nature, and to exclude from public decision making the kinds of emotional attachments that support more environmentally sensitive ways of living. A better understanding of ourselves, as fundamentally emotional beings, could give such ways of living the respect they need.

As the full effects of human activity on Earth's life-support systems are revealed by science, the question of whether we can change, fundamentally, our relationship with nature becomes increasingly urgent. Just as important as an understanding of our environment, is an understanding of ourselves, of the kinds of beings we are and why we act as we do. In Loving Nature Kay Milton considers why some people in Western societies grow up to be nature lovers, actively concerned about the welfare and future of plants, animals, ecosystems and nature in general, while others seem indifferent or intent on destroying these things. Drawing on findings and ideas from anthropology, psychology, cognitive science and philosophy, the author discusses how we come to understand nature as we do, and above all, how we develop emotional commitments to it. Anthropologists, in recent years, have tended to suggest that our understanding of the world is shaped solely by the culture in which we live. Controversially Kay Milton argues that it is shaped by direct experience in which emotion plays an essential role. The author argues that the conventional opposition between emotion and rationality in western culture is a myth. The effect of this myth has been to support a market economy which systematically destroys nature, and to exclude from public decision making the kinds of emotional attachments that support more environmentally sensitive ways of living. A better understanding of ourselves, as fundamentally emotional beings, could give such ways of living the respect they need.

Located in a wide spectrum of current research and practice, from analyses of green ideology and imagery, enviromental law and policy, and local enviromental activism in the West to ethnographic studies of relationships between humans and their enviroments in hunter/gatherer societies, Enviromentalism: The View from Anthropology offers an original perspective on what is probably the best-known issue of the late twentieth century.It will be particularly useful to all social scientists interested in environmentalism and human ecology, to environmental policy-makers and to undergraduates, lecturers and researchers in social anthropology, development studies and sociology.

Emotions are of increasing interest in all the human sciences. In the past two decades, a growing number of anthropologists have explored emotional dynamics in a variety of geographic and cultural settings, and have developed various, at times conflicting, theories of emotion. This book fills a major gap by providing a concise introduction to the anthropology of emotions that outlines some of the major themes and controversies. Drawing on fieldwork undertaken in Europe, Japan and Melanesia, the authors explore how consciousness, memory, identity and politics are intimately related to emotional processes. A broad range of case studies covers such topics as how fear is managed in Belfast, how Spanish gypsies grieve and why Japanese tourists are drawn to monkey parks. This book will be of interest to anyone seeking to understand the formative impact emotions have on culture and society in an increasingly globalized world.