What is environmental history? It is a kind of history that seeks understanding of human beings as they have lived, worked, and thought in relationship to the rest of nature through the changes brought by time.
In this new edition of his seminal student textbook, J. Donald Hughes provides a masterful overview of the thinkers, topics, and perspectives that have come to constitute the exciting discipline that is environmental history. He does so on a global scale, drawing together disparate trends from a rich variety of countries into a unified whole, illuminating trends and key themes in the process. Those already familiar with the discipline will find themselves invited to think about the subject in a new way. This new edition has been updated to reflect recent developments, trends, and new work in environmental history, as well as a brand new note on its possible future.
Students and scholars new to environmental history will find the book both an indispensable guide and a rich source of inspiration for future work.
By:
J. Donald Hughes
Imprint: Polity Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: 2nd Revised edition
Dimensions:
Height: 213mm,
Width: 137mm,
Spine: 15mm
Weight: 249g
ISBN: 9780745688435
ISBN 10: 0745688438
Series: What is History?
Pages: 200
Publication Date: 18 September 2015
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
1. Defining Environmental History Introduction The Themes of Environmental History Among the Scholarly Disciplines Environmental History and the Older History 2. Forerunners of Environmental History Introduction The Ancient World Medieval and Early Modern Environmental Thought The Early Twentieth Century 3. The Emergence of Environmental History in the United States Introduction American History from Conservation to Environment Strands of Environmental History in the United States Collaborators with Environmental History 4. Local, Regional, and National Environmental Histories Introduction Canada Europe The Mediterranean The Middle East and North Africa India, South and Southeast Asia East Asia Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands Africa Latin America The Ancient World and the Middle Ages Conclusion 5. Global Environmental History Introduction Books on World Environmental History Topics of Global Importance Environmental Movements World History Texts Conclusion 6. Issues and Directions in Environmental History Introduction Professionalism Advocacy Environmental Determinism Presentism Declensionist Narratives Political-Economic Theory The Next Issues Conclusion 7. Thoughts on Doing Environmental History Introduction Guidance on Methodology The Search for Sources Resources Conclusion: The Future of Environmental History Notes Select Bibliography Index
J. DONALD HUGHES is John Evans Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Denver, Colorado.
Reviews for What is Environmental History?
Anyone seeking help in navigating the shifting shoals of environmental history will give fulsome thanks to Don Hughes for this book. It is far and away the best guide yet to the issues and historiography of this emerging field, spanning the globe and delving into the deep as well as recent past. J. R. McNeill, Georgetown University What is Environmental History? is a masterfully condensed overview of one of the most urgent and rapidly developing fields of history. Written by a scholar of classical antiquity, it gracefully covers ancient, medieval, and modern periods - with a global vision. A state-of-the-art report for any scholar, and a perfect introduction for the student. Sverker Soerlin, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm What is Environmental History? is a masterfully condensed overview of one of the most urgent and rapidly developing fields of history. Written by a scholar of classical antiquity, it gracefully covers ancient, medieval, and modern periods - with a global vision. A state-of-the-art report for any scholar, and a perfect introduction for the student. Sverker Soerlin, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm What is Environmental History? is a masterfully condensed overview of one of the most urgent and rapidly developing fields of history. Written by a scholar of classical antiquity, it gracefully covers ancient, medieval, and modern periods - with a global vision. A state-of-the-art report for any scholar, and a perfect introduction for the student. Sverker Soerlin, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm
