The Battle for Yellowstone: Morality and the Sacred Roots of Environmental Conflict: Morality and the Sacred Roots of Environmental Conflict

Yellowstone holds a special place in America's heart. As the world's first national park, it is globally recognized as the crown jewel of modern environmental preservation. But the park and its surrounding regions have recently become a lightning rod for environmental conflict, plagued by intense and intractable political struggles among the federal government, National Park Service, environmentalists, industry, local residents, and elected officials. __The Battle for Yellowstone__ asks why it is that, with the flood of expert scientific, economic, and legal efforts to resolve disagreements over Yellowstone, there is no improvement? Why do even seemingly minor issues erupt into impassioned disputes? What can Yellowstone teach us about the worsening environmental conflicts worldwide? Justin Farrell argues that the battle for Yellowstone has deep moral, cultural, and spiritual roots that until now have been obscured by the supposedly rational and technical nature of the conflict. Tracing in unprecedented detail the moral causes and consequences of large-scale social change in the American West, he describes how a "new-west" social order has emerged that has devalued traditional American beliefs about manifest destiny and rugged individualism, and how morality and spirituality have influenced the most polarizing and techno-centric conflicts in Yellowstone's history. This groundbreaking book shows how the unprecedented conflict over Yellowstone is not all about science, law, or economic interests, but more surprisingly, is about cultural upheaval and the construction of new moral and spiritual boundaries in the American West. Yellowstone Holds A Special Place In America's Heart. As The World's First National Park, It Is Globally Recognized As The Crown Jewel Of Modern Environmental Preservation. But The Park And Its Surrounding Regions Have Recently Become A Lightning Rod For Environmental Conflict, Plagued By Intense And Intractable Political Struggles Among The Federal Government, National Park Service, Environmentalists, Industry, Local Residents, And Elected Officials. The Battle For Yellowstone Asks Why It Is That, With The Flood Of Expert Scientific, Economic, And Legal Efforts To Resolve Disagreements Over Yellowstone, There Is No Improvement? Why Do Even Seemingly Minor Issues Erupt Into Impassioned Disputes? What Can Yellowstone Teach Us About The Worsening Environmental Conflicts Worldwide? Justin Farrell Argues That The Battle For Yellowstone Has Deep Moral, Cultural, And Spiritual Roots That Until Now Have Been Obscured By The Supposedly Rational And Technical Nature Of The Conflict. Tracing In Unprecedented Detail The Moral Causes And Consequences Of Large-scale Social Change In The American West, He Describes How A 'new-west' Social Order Has Emerged That Has Devalued Traditional American Beliefs About Manifest Destiny And Rugged Individualism, And How Morality And Spirituality Have Influenced The Most Polarizing And Techno-centric Conflicts In Yellowstone's History. This Groundbreaking Book Shows How The Unprecedented Conflict Over Yellowstone Is Not All About Science, Law, Or Economic Interests, But More Surprisingly, Is About Cultural Upheaval And The Construction Of New Moral And Spiritual Boundaries In The American West-- Introduction: Bringing Moral Culture Into The Fray -- Believing In Yellowstone : The Moralization Of Nature And The Creation Of America's Eden -- The New (wild) West : Social Upheaval, Moral Devaluation, And The Rise Of Conflict -- Buffalo Crusaders : The Sacred Struggle For America's Last Wild And Pure Herd -- Between Good And Evil : The Science, Culture, And Polarization Of Wolf Conflict -- Drilling Our Soul : Moral-boundary Work In An Unlikely Old-west Fight Against Fracking -- Appendix. Justin Farrell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Title Copyright Dedication CONTENTS List of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgments Introduction: Bringing Moral Culture into the Fray Introducing the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Toward a Theory of Morality and Environment Human Believers, Narrative Structure, and Enacting Moral Orders Theoretical Contributions A Roadmap 1. Believing in Yellowstone: The Moralization of Nature and the Creation of America’s Eden Early Utilitarian Use and the Formation of Yellowstone National Park A Spiritual Moral Vision A Biocentric Moral Vision Social Change and the “Greater” Yellowstone Ecosystem Conclusion 2. The New (Wild) West: Social Upheaval, Moral Devaluation, and the Rise of Conflict The Old West, and Roots of the New The Rise of the New-West The Moral Effects of New-West Change Environmental Conflict Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Stakeholder Arena The Rise of Conflict, 1870–2012 Conclusion 3. Buffalo Crusaders: The Sacred Struggle for America’s Last Wild and Pure Herd Overview of the Issue The Buffalo Field Campaign The Moral Logic of a Movement: Purity, Wildness, Virtue Successes of Moral-Spiritual Protest Concluding Puzzle: Religious and Moral “Muting” Conclusion 4. Between Good and Evil: The Science, Culture, and Polarization of Wolf Conflict Uncovering the Anti-Wolf Moral Order Rugged American Individualism Human Dominionism Simple and Sacred Heritage Uncovering the Pro-Wolf Moral Order Features of the Pro-Wolf Moral Order The Primary Role of Morality and Spirituality Multiple Meanings: Co-Occurrence of Spirituality and Rationality Conclusion 5. Drilling Our Soul: Moral Boundary Work in an Unlikely Old-West Fight against Fracking A State of Mining Drilling in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Considering Alternative Explanations “Too Special to Drill”: Place Attachment and Drawing Moral Boundaries Three Profiles of Old-West Environmentalists Moral Boundary Work and the Meaning of Activism Conclusion Conclusion Appendix: Methodological Notes Bibliography Index "Yellowstone holds a special place in America's heart. As the world's first national park, it is globally recognized as the crown jewel of modern environmental preservation. But the park and its surrounding regions have recently become a lightning rod for environmental conflict, plagued by intense and intractable political struggles among the federal government, National Park Service, environmentalists, industry, local residents, and elected officials. The Battle for Yellowstone asks why it is that, with the flood of expert scientific, economic, and legal efforts to resolve disagreements over Yellowstone, there is no improvement? Why do even seemingly minor issues erupt into impassioned disputes? What can Yellowstone teach us about the worsening environmental conflicts worldwide? Justin Farrell argues that the battle for Yellowstone has deep moral, cultural, and spiritual roots that until now have been obscured by the supposedly rational and technical nature of the conflict. Tracing in unprecedented detail the moral causes and consequences of large-scale social change in the American West, he describes how a 'new-West' social order has emerged that has devalued traditional American beliefs about manifest destiny and rugged individualism, and how morality and spirituality have influenced the most polarizing and techno-centric conflicts in Yellowstone's history. This groundbreaking book shows how the unprecedented conflict over Yellowstone is not all about science, law, or economic interests, but more surprisingly, is about cultural upheaval and the construction of new moral and spiritual boundaries in the American West"-- Provided by publisher