Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in NatureWilliam Cronon A controversial, timely reassessment of the environmentalist agenda by outstanding historians, scientists, and critics. In a lead essay that powerfully states the broad argument of the book, William Cronon writes that the environmentalist goal of wilderness preservation is conceptually and politically wrongheaded. Among the ironies and entanglements resulting from this goal are the sale of nature in our malls through the Nature Company, and the disputes between working people and environmentalists over spotted owls and other objects of species preservation.The problem is that we haven't learned to live responsibly in nature. The environmentalist aim of legislating humans out of the wilderness is no solution. People, Cronon argues, are inextricably tied to nature, whether they live in cities or countryside. Rather than attempt to exclude humans, environmental advocates should help us learn to live in some sustainable relationship with nature. It is our home. |
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American Anheuser-Busch animals anthropocentric argue Arsenal artificial become biological California Cambridge century Chicago complex concept conflict construction Cronon cultural deep ecology defined definition discourse earth ecologists Ecology ecosystem environment environmental justice environmental movement environmental problems environmentalists essay ethics example field figure find fire first flow Frederick Law Olmsted garden genetic genome habitat human Ibid ideas of nature identified Indians John Kayapo labor land landscape live mall means modern moral mountain movement Muir narrative National Park Native Forest Council natural world Nature Company nature’s Niagara nonhuman old-growth Olmsted Olmsted’s one’s organizations plant political population Press protect race racial rain forest recovery reflect Robert Whittaker scenery scientific Sea World significant simulation social species specific spotted owl story symbol theme park timber tion transformation trees Univ urban values vegetation wild wilderness wildlife William William Cronon Yanomami York Yosemite Yosemite Valley