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Zapotec Science: Farming and Food in the Northern Sierra of Oaxaca Paperback – August 15, 2001

by Roberto J. Gonzalez (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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2003 — Julian Steward Award – Anthropology & Environment Section, American Anthropological Association
2002 — A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book

How Zapotec agricultural and dietary theories and practices constitute a valid local science.

Zapotec farmers in the northern sierra of Oaxaca, Mexico, are highly successful in providing their families with abundant, nutritious food in an ecologically sustainable fashion, although the premises that guide their agricultural practices would be considered erroneous by the standards of most agronomists and botanists in the United States and Europe. In this book, Roberto González convincingly argues that in fact Zapotec agricultural and dietary theories and practices constitute a valid local science, which has had a reciprocally beneficial relationship with European and United States farming and food systems since the sixteenth century.

González bases his analysis upon direct participant observation in the farms and fields of a Zapotec village. By using the ethnographic fieldwork approach, he is able to describe and analyze the rich meanings that campesino families attach to their crops, lands, and animals. González also reviews the history of maize, sugarcane, and coffee cultivation in the Zapotec region to show how campesino farmers have intelligently and scientifically adapted their farming practices to local conditions over the course of centuries. By setting his ethnographic study of the Talea de Castro community within a historical world systems perspective, he also skillfully weighs the local impact of national and global currents ranging from Spanish colonialism to the 1910 Mexican Revolution to NAFTA. At the same time, he shows how, at the turn of the twenty-first century, the sustainable practices of "traditional" subsistence agriculture are beginning to replace the failed, unsustainable techniques of modern industrial farming in some parts of the United States and Europe.

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  1. Print length
    360 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University of Texas Press
  4. Publication date
    August 15, 2001
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.86 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0292728328
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0292728325
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Zapotec Science is a major triumph of ethnographic insights in the understanding of farming practices.--Alicia Re Cruz"Sustainable Communities Review" (01/01/2004)

Review

This is a superb ethnographic work that can, and should, revolutionize a good deal of anthropology and the philosophy of science. . . . For anyone interested in Latin American traditional agriculture, it will be a ‘must read.’ -- Eugene Anderson

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Texas Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 15, 2001
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 360 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0292728328
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0292728325
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.86 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

About the author

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Roberto J. González

Roberto J. González

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Roberto J. González is professor and chair of the Anthropology Department at San José State University. His newest book, "War Virtually: The Quest to Automate Conflict, Militarize Data, and Predict the Future," has just been published by the University of California Press. Roberto is the author and editor of several books about science and technology, militarization in American culture, and life in a Mexican global village. These books include "Connected: How a Mexican Village Built Its Own Cell Phone Network," "Militarization: A Reader," "American Counteinsurgency: Human Science and the Human Terrain," and "Zapotec Science: Farming and Food in a Mexican Village." Roberto's other writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the San José Mercury-News, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Academe, and many other publications. Roberto received his BA degree from the University of Texas and MA and PhD degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Josue Estrada-Cordoba
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good volume
    Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
     
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    Josue Estrada-Cordoba
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Good volume

    Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022

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  • Dr. Ramirez
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Gonzalez ROCKS
    Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2013
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Having studied traditional healing in Oaxaca and being familiar with Zapotec culture, I am confident in recommending this well written, engaging book to anyone interested in Oaxaca or traditional cultures.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • jenna
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    great condition!
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  • michael
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very good
    Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book really gets the farming of the Telean campesinos down to the science and thoroughly describes the culture and economy behind food cultivation in the region. Though it is not theoretical science but the practical use when it comes to food cultivation in regions like Oaxaca. This includes measurements between seeds or using certain crops to aid the growth of other crops and when to plant and harvest.

    I used this book as a source for a cultural & environmental geography research paper on the Zapotecs and this book provided more information than any other book or peer reviewed journal.

    The book arrived in pristine condition.
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  • Deron Dilger
    3.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2012
    Format: Paperback
    Having lived in Oaxaca, Mexico for over a year now, I wanted something that would give me a better understanding of the indigenous people here. I was especially interested in how the local Mixtec and Zapotec farmers/ranchers live off the land ... and perhaps an explanation for why they are so opposed to buying imported corn instead of working so hard to raise their own maize.

    This book turned out to answer my curiosities as well as give me insight into Zapotec ways of thinking and doing that I hadn't considered. The book appears to have been written as an academic endeavor in its "tone" and extensive referencing of other scientists/authors. It struck me as somebody's Ph.D thesis turned into a book. Such is probably the "flavor" of any books of this level of detailed study, but those looking for a gentle summer reading may find it a bit tougher to chew. The only real complaint I have with the contents was how often items were repeated. Several facts were discussed several times and only very slightly altered...if at all.

    Anyway, so far this book has been my best introduction to the hardworking, friendly people of Oaxaca. I learned many interesting facts (e.g. how sugarcane is grown, processed, and prized here), I was forced to reconsider (and alter) several of my opinions about 'primitive' Mexican farming, and I gained a deeper respect for what these people do throughout their lives and the lives of their communities to keep alive their families and communities. I find myself citing it again and again when talking with other gringos about Oaxaca.

    Please note, three stars indicates a good book. It should NOT be perceived as a negative rating.
    6 people found this helpful
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