26
1
In 7 Chap. 8, we look critically at the idea that scarcity of natural resources
and climate change will result in more violent conflicts. 7 Chapter 9 deals with
agricultural development and particularly how population growth and markets
affect possibilities for sustainable agriculture in Africa. This chapter also includes
a discussion of ongoing processes of ‘land grabbing’, where investors obtain control over large land areas in the Global South. In 7 Chap. 10, we summarize experiences and insights from the type of political ecology that we have used in the case
studies, and we suggest some possible ways forward for a political ecology for the
future.
We have in this first chapter used the environmental conflict on the fictional
planet Pandora as an example to illustrate the content of the ten syntheses that we
consider key in political ecology. The rest of the book is about real life on the real
planet Earth. We use examples in the following chapters that we know from our
own research about environmental governance - mainly from Africa and Norway,
but also from elsewhere. This implies that the book points out several similarities
and differences between environmental governance in the Global South and North
and how they are inter-connected. In addition, we are concerned with presenting
the various forms of global dimensions that characterize environmental governance in different locations. Some examples are also drawn from other parts of the
world, and the topics and approaches that we present in this book are relevant for
planet Earth in general.
Finally, some remarks on the formats we use in this book. Most chapters start
with a trailer introducing the chapter topic often with a short story from the field
or from popular culture before it continues with an overview of the main questions
discussed in the chapter. Chapters also contain Case Studies, which give empirical
illustration mostly from our own research of the questions or theoretical concepts
presented in the chapters. There are also a small number of Examples, which are
much shorter than the Case Studies. In some chapters, we have also included Boxes
with discussions of methods or methodological approaches that can be used in
political ecology, and we give Definitions of some key concepts. Finally, in all chapters, except this chapter and the final one, we end with some Conclusions that sum
up the messages in the chapter before we list some key Questions that students can
discuss in class or answer individually.
? Questions
1. While the movie Avatar has been embraced by indigenous activists, it has also
been criticized for ‘white saviourism’. What is your own view? (It is useful to
watch the movie first.)
2. Imagine that you are a researcher starting up a study on Pandora:
a. Formulate research questions based on the types presented on pages 23–24.
b. Select three of the syntheses in this chapter and discuss how the research
project could draw on each on them.
Chapter 1 · Political Ecology on Pandora
1
In 7 Chap. 8, we look critically at the idea that scarcity of natural resources
and climate change will result in more violent conflicts. 7 Chapter 9 deals with
agricultural development and particularly how population growth and markets
affect possibilities for sustainable agriculture in Africa. This chapter also includes
a discussion of ongoing processes of ‘land grabbing’, where investors obtain control over large land areas in the Global South. In 7 Chap. 10, we summarize experiences and insights from the type of political ecology that we have used in the case
studies, and we suggest some possible ways forward for a political ecology for the
future.
We have in this first chapter used the environmental conflict on the fictional
planet Pandora as an example to illustrate the content of the ten syntheses that we
consider key in political ecology. The rest of the book is about real life on the real
planet Earth. We use examples in the following chapters that we know from our
own research about environmental governance - mainly from Africa and Norway,
but also from elsewhere. This implies that the book points out several similarities
and differences between environmental governance in the Global South and North
and how they are inter-connected. In addition, we are concerned with presenting
the various forms of global dimensions that characterize environmental governance in different locations. Some examples are also drawn from other parts of the
world, and the topics and approaches that we present in this book are relevant for
planet Earth in general.
Finally, some remarks on the formats we use in this book. Most chapters start
with a trailer introducing the chapter topic often with a short story from the field
or from popular culture before it continues with an overview of the main questions
discussed in the chapter. Chapters also contain Case Studies, which give empirical
illustration mostly from our own research of the questions or theoretical concepts
presented in the chapters. There are also a small number of Examples, which are
much shorter than the Case Studies. In some chapters, we have also included Boxes
with discussions of methods or methodological approaches that can be used in
political ecology, and we give Definitions of some key concepts. Finally, in all chapters, except this chapter and the final one, we end with some Conclusions that sum
up the messages in the chapter before we list some key Questions that students can
discuss in class or answer individually.
? Questions
1. While the movie Avatar has been embraced by indigenous activists, it has also
been criticized for ‘white saviourism’. What is your own view? (It is useful to
watch the movie first.)
2. Imagine that you are a researcher starting up a study on Pandora:
a. Formulate research questions based on the types presented on pages 23–24.
b. Select three of the syntheses in this chapter and discuss how the research
project could draw on each on them.
Chapter 1 · Political Ecology on Pandora