This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India [Hardcover]

Madhav Gadgil (Author), Ramachandra Guha (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 1993

Ecologist Madhav Gadgil and historian Ramachandra Guha offer fresh perspectives both on the ecological history of India and on theoretical issues of interest to environmental historians regardless of geographical specialization.
Juxtaposing data from India with the ecological literature on lifestyles as diverse as those of modern Americans and Amazonian Indians, the authors analyze the social conflicts that have emerged over environmental exploitation and explore the impact of changing patterns of resource use on human societies. They present a socio-ecological analysis of the modes of resource use introduced to India by the British, and explore popular resistance to state environmental policies in both the colonial and post-colonial periods.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`The narrative's strength is its ability to highlight the two-way interaction between social relations and environmental conditions. The power of this approach is highlighted by the authors' analysis of the evolution of the caste system.' Ecological Economics --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

"A masterful study. . . . It does for ecological history what the writings of Marx and Engels did for the study of class relations and social production."--Michael Adas, Rutgers University

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 274 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1st University of California Press ed edition (March 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520076214
• ISBN-13: 978-0520076211
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,486,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good summary, May 24, 2006

By 

Peter Pratir - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India (Paperback)

A good overview with a definite scope for improvement as other reviewer suggested

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a nationalist account of ecological India, October 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of India (Oxford India Paperbacks) (Paperback)

There are many novel parts to this book that make it worth reading. The authors' contention that the caste system is a result of a sort of speciesation of culture is very interesting but seems to be prone to the same troubles as the environmental process theories of the 1970's. There are a few obvious historical misrepresentations and the authors frequently ignore events that do not suit their argument, but on the whole Gadgil and Guha are responsible reporters and interpreters of the growth of India's environmental problems, particularly in respect to deforestation. Theirargument itself is also subject to flaws, not the least of which is a fiercely nationalistic belief that the environmental dark age began at the same moment Europeans first set foot in the subcontinent. I realize that I may sound harshly judgemental of this book, but I truly can advocate it to anyone with an interest in the eco-history of India, a subject that has yet to have a definative work published.