Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico: A Study in Vulnerability (RGS-IBG Book Series)

By considering three case study regions in Mexico during the Colonial era, Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico: A Study in Vulnerability examines the complex interrelationship between climate and society and its contemporary implications. Provides unique insights on climate and society by capitalizing on Mexico's rich colonial archives Offers a unique approach by combining geographical and historic perspectives in order to comprehend contemporary concerns over climate change Considers three case study regions in Mexico with very different cultural, economic, and environmental characteristics Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico: A Study in Vulnerability......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 List of Tables and Figures......Page 10 Series Editors' Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgements......Page 13 Introduction......Page 15 Changing Vulnerabilities......Page 17 Climate Change and the 'Double-Sided' Structure of Vulnerability......Page 19 Exploring Climate and Society in Mexico......Page 24 Climate History and Vulnerability in Mexico......Page 25 Case Studies and Approach......Page 29 Environmental Marginality and Society in the Conchos Basin, Chihuahua......Page 35 Guanajuato and the Chichimec Territory......Page 42 Power and Political Growth in the Central Valley of Oaxaca......Page 46 The Tools of Conquest and Colonization......Page 52 The Emergence of Regional Colonial Political Economies......Page 60 Climatic Variability and Vulnerability in Colonial Mexico: A Preview......Page 84 Introduction......Page 88 Moral Economic and Institutional Responses to Climate and Crisis in Colonial Mexico......Page 89 Speculation and Scarcity: Capitalizing on Climate Knowledge......Page 93 Trade in Grains: Providing for the 'Engines' of the Colonial Political Economy......Page 95 Tribute, Food Aid and the Supernatural: Appealing to a Common Sense of Loss......Page 97 'Compadrazgo', Community Engagement and Public Works......Page 101 'Most sensitive and saddening events': Flood Risk and Social Capital Response in Colonial Guanajuato......Page 104 'Great floods' and 'Strong winds': Damaging Events, Adaptation and 'Non-Adaptation' in Colonial Oaxaca......Page 111 Responding Strategically: Climate, Consciousness and Experimentation......Page 115 Introduction......Page 119 Water and Local 'Everyday Conflicts' in the Country and City......Page 121 Regional Resistance: Drought, Disease and Rebellion in Northern Mexico......Page 140 Vulnerability, Riots and Rebellions: Rare Events or 'Tipping Points'?......Page 147 Introduction......Page 150 Decline and Depression in Seventeenth-Century Mexico......Page 152 Economic Boom and Bust: Absolutism and Globalization in Late Colonial Mexico......Page 154 'A time of calamity': A Synthesis of Climate and Crises in Late Colonial Mexico......Page 157 From Crisis to Insurrection: Vulnerability and Popular Unrest in the Early Nineteenth Century......Page 178 Prolonged Drought and the Conditions of Crisis in Late Colonial Chihuahua......Page 184 Drought, Risk and the Social Construction of Flooding in the Bajío......Page 186 Resilience and the Rare Event: Climate, Society and Human Choice in the Indigenous South......Page 188 Crises in Context and Historical 'Double Exposure'......Page 191 Closing Comments......Page 195 Notes......Page 197 Bibliography......Page 216 Index......Page 241 The Relationship Between Climate And Society Is Complex. Time And Again History Has Shown That Responses To Climatic Changes And Extreme Weather Events Vary Greatly Between Different Social Groups. A Variety Of Factors - Demographic, Social, Political And Economic - Influence How A Society Perceives, Responds To And Copes With Extreme Weather Events. With Its Series Of Floods And Frosts, Droughts And Hurricanes, Few Societies Have Had Their Resilience And Resourcefulness Tested Like Mexico's In Her Colonial Era. Within This Historical Framework, Climate And Society In Colonial Mexico: A Study In Vulnerability Provides A Timely Examination Of The Human Impact Of Climate Change And Its Contemporary Implications. By Considering Three Broadly Differentiated Case-study Regions - Chihuahua's And Conchos Basin, The Lush Oaxaca Valley, And Guanajuato In The Bajio Of Mexico - The Text Offers Valuable Insights Into How Different Societies Articulate Knowledge About Climate And The Environment And How They Respond To Climatic Variability. Capitalizing On Mexico's Rich Colonial Archives - Many Published Here For The First Time - The Study Provides A Unique Historical Perspective On The Complex Interrelationships Between Climate And Vulnerable Societies. By Examining The Past, Climate And Society In Colonial Mexico Provides A Unique Perspective On Contemporary Climatic Changes, Environmental Impacts, The Vulnerability Of Societies, And Our Increasing Concerns For The Future Of Our Planet.--book Jacket. A Vulnerable Society -- Climate, Culture And Conquest : North, South And Central Mexico In The Pre-european And Contact Period -- Exploring The Anatomy Of Vulnerability In Colonial Mexico -- Responding To Crisis : Vulnerability And Adaptive Capacity In Colonial Mexico -- Dearth, Deluge And Disputes : Negotiating And Litigating Water And Climate In Colonial Mexico -- Illusory Prosperity : Economic Growth And Subsistence Crisis In The Disastrous Eighteenth Century -- Regional, National And Global Dimensions Of Vulnerability And Crisis In Colonial Mexico. Georgina H. Endfield. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [202]-226) And Index.

The relationship between climate and society is complex. Time and again history has shown that responses to climatic changes and extreme weather events vary greatly between different social groups. A variety of factors – demographic, social, political and economic – influence how a society perceives, responds to, and copes with extreme weather events. With its series of floods and frosts, droughts and hurricanes, few societies have had their resilience and resourcefulness tested like Mexico’s in her colonial era.

Within this historical framework, Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico: A Study in Vulnerability provides a timely examination of the human impact of climate change and its contemporary implications. By considering three broadly differentiated case study regions – Chihuahua’s arid Conchos Basin, the lush Oaxaca Valley, and Guanajuato in the Bajío of Mexico – the text offers valuable insights into how different societies articulate knowledge about climate and the environment and how they respond to climatic variability. Capitalizing on Mexico’s rich colonial archives – many published here for the first time – the study provides a unique historical perspective into the complex interrelationships between climate and vulnerable societies. By examining the past, Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico offers valuable insights into contemporary climatic changes, environmental impacts, the vulnerability of societies, and our increasing concerns for the future of our planet.

"The relationship between climate and society is complex. Time and again history has shown that responses to climatic changes and extreme weather events vary greatly between different social groups. A variety of factors - demographic, social, political and economic - influence how a society perceives, responds to and copes with extreme weather events. With its series of floods and frosts, droughts and hurricanes, few societies have had their resilience and resourcefulness tested like Mexico's in her colonial era." "Within this historical framework, Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico: A Study in Vulnerability provides a timely examination of the human impact of climate change and its contemporary implications. By considering three broadly differentiated case-study regions - Chihuahua's and Conchos Basin, the lush Oaxaca Valley, and Guanajuato in the Bajio of Mexico - the text offers valuable insights into how different societies articulate knowledge about climate and the environment and how they respond to climatic variability. Capitalizing on Mexico's rich colonial archives - many published here for the first time - the study provides a unique historical perspective on the complex interrelationships between climate and vulnerable societies. By examining the past, Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico provides a unique perspective on contemporary climatic changes, environmental impacts, the vulnerability of societies, and our increasing concerns for the future of our planet." --Book Jacket.