Nomad's Land: Pastoralism and French Environmental Policy in the Nineteenth-Century Mediterranean World (France Overseas: Studies in Empire and Decolonization)

During the nineteenth century, the development and codification of forest science in France were closely linked to Provence’s time-honored tradition of mobile pastoralism, which formed a major part of the economy. At the beginning of the century, pastoralism also featured prominently in the economies and social traditions of North Africa and southwestern Anatolia until French forest agents implemented ideas and practices for forest management in these areas aimed largely at regulating and marginalizing Mediterranean mobile pastoral traditions. These practices changed not only landscapes but also the social order of these three Mediterranean societies and the nature of French colonial administration. In Nomad’s Land Andrea E. Duffy investigates the relationship between Mediterranean mobile pastoralism and nineteenth-century French forestry through case studies in Provence, French colonial Algeria, and Ottoman Anatolia. By restricting the use of shared spaces, foresters helped bring the populations of Provence and Algeria under the control of the state, and French scientific forestry became a medium for state initiatives to sedentarize mobile pastoral groups in Anatolia. Locals responded through petitions, arson, violence, compromise, and adaptation. Duffy shows that French efforts to promote scientific forestry both internally and abroad were intimately tied to empire building and paralleled the solidification of Western narratives condemning the pastoral tradition, leading to sometimes tragic outcomes for both the environment and pastoralists. Review “In this succinct and lucidly written book, Andrea Duffy shows how French ideas about forests provided ammunition for sustained campaigns against herders, sheep, goats, and the pastoralist way of life in Mediterranean France, colonial Algeria, and Ottoman Anatolia. An insightful and delightful addition to Mediterranean environmental history.”—J. R. McNeill, professor in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and the Department of History at Georgetown University and author of Mosquito Empires: Ecology and War in the Greater Caribbean, 1620–1914 About the Author Andrea E. Duffy is the director of international studies and an assistant professor at Colorado State University. 2020 Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Award During the nineteenth century, the development and codification of forest science in France were closely linked to Provence's time-honored tradition of mobile pastoralism, which formed a major part of the economy. At the beginning of the century, pastoralism also featured prominently in the economies and social traditions of North Africa and southwestern Anatolia until French forest agents implemented ideas and practices for forest management in these areas aimed largely at regulating and marginalizing Mediterranean mobile pastoral traditions. These practices changed not only landscapes but also the social order of these three Mediterranean societies and the nature of French colonial administration. In Nomad's Land Andrea E. Duffy investigates the relationship between Mediterranean mobile pastoralism and nineteenth-century French forestry through case studies in Provence, French colonial Algeria, and Ottoman Anatolia. By restricting the use of shared spaces, foresters helped bring the populations of Provence and Algeria under the control of the state, and French scientific forestry became a medium for state initiatives to sedentarize mobile pastoral groups in Anatolia. Locals responded through petitions, arson, violence, compromise, and adaptation. Duffy shows that French efforts to promote scientific forestry both internally and abroad were intimately tied to empire building and paralleled the solidification of Western narratives condemning the pastoral tradition, leading to sometimes tragic outcomes for both the environment and pastoralists. During the nineteenth century, the development and codification of forest science in France were closely linked to Provence's time-honored tradition of mobile pastoralism, which formed a major part of the economy. At the beginning of the century, pastoralism also featured prominently in the economies and social traditions of North Africa and southwestern Anatolia until French forest agents implemented ideas and practices for forest management in these areas aimed largely at regulating and marginalizing Mediterranean mobile pastoral traditions. These practices changed not only landscapes but also the social order of these three Mediterranean societies and the nature of French colonial administration.0In 'Nomad's Land' Andrea E. Duffy investigates the relationship between Mediterranean mobile pastoralism and nineteenth-century French forestry through case studies in Provence, French colonial Algeria, and Ottoman Anatolia. By restricting the use of shared spaces, foresters helped bring the populations of Provence and Algeria under the control of the state, and French scientific forestry became a medium for state initiatives to sedentarize mobile pastoral groups in Anatolia. Locals responded through petitions, arson, violence, compromise, and adaptation. Duffy shows that French efforts to promote scientific forestry both internally and abroad were intimately tied to empire building and paralleled the solidification of Western narratives condemning the pastoral tradition, leading to sometimes tragic outcomes for both the environment and pastoralists Cover; Title Page; Copyright Page; Contents; List Of Figures; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Part 1; 1. Land Of The Golden Fleece; 2. Black Sheep; 3. Counting Sheep; Part 2; 4. The Forest For The Trees; 5. Against The Grain; 6. Nature's Scapegoats; 7. Sheep To The Slaughter; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index Andrea E. Duffy. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Electronic Reproduction. Baltimore, Md Available Via World Wide Web. Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 6 List of Figures 8 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 12 Part 1 28 1. Land of the Golden Fleece 30 2. Black Sheep 60 3. Counting Sheep 82 Part 2 106 4. The Forest for the Trees 108 5. Against the Grain 134 6. Nature’s Scapegoats 162 7. Sheep to the Slaughter 190 Conclusion 210 Notes 220 Bibliography 264 Index 320 An exploration of the relationship between Mediterranean mobile pastoralism and nineteenth-century French forestry through case studies in Provence, French colonial Algeria, and Ottoman Anatolia.