The Lie of the Land: Challenging Received Wisdom on the African Environment (African Issues Series)

Images Of Children Starving Because Of Environmental Destruction Have Become An Integral Part Of The Way That Africa Is Perceived In The North. That Is A Typical Signpost To The Lie Of The Land. This Book Questions The Reasoning Behind Such Images. How Do Environmental Orthodoxies Become Established? Historically Informed Research In This Book Shows That Many Of The Orthodoxies Are Ill-conceived Or Represent The Interests Of Certain Powerful Groups. What Are The Alternative And Appropriate Approaches For Policy-making? This Pioneering Book Draws Eleven Key Cases Together To Explore Their Commonalities. Challenges To Received Wisdom Have Reached A Critical Mass Which Allows Comparative Analysis. On What Experience Do These Contributors Draw? First Hand Research In Different Ecological Zones; Experience In Different Aspects Of Rural Production; Ecology, Soil Science, Geography, Social Anthropology, Economics And History.--jacket. Environmental Change & Policy: Challenging Received Wisdom In Africa / Melissa Leach & Robin Mearns -- Range Management Science & Policy: Politics, Polemics & Pasture In Southern Africa / Ian Scoones -- Soil Erosion, Animals & Pasture Over The Longer Term: Environmental Destruction In Southern Africa / William Beinart -- Desertification / Jeremy Swift -- Wildlife, Pastoralists & Science: Debates Concerning Mkomazi Game Reserve Tanzania / Daniel Brockington & Katherine Homewood -- Rethinking The Forest-savanna Mosaic: Colonial Science & Its Relics In West Africa / James Fairhead & Melissa Leach -- Dryland Forestry: Manufacturing Forests & Farming Trees In Nigeria / Reginald Cline-cole -- Soil Erosion / Michael Stocking. Irrigation, Erosion & Famine: Visions Of Environmental Change In Marakwet, Kenya / W.m. Adams -- Land & Capital: Blind Spots In The Study Of The Resource Poor Farmer / Mary Tiffen -- Cultural Construction Of Environmental Policy: Paradigms & Politics In Ethiopia / Allan Hoben. Edited By Melissa Leach & Robin Mearns. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 209-230) And Index. Environmental change & policy : challenging received wisdom in Africa / Melissa Leach & Robin Mearns -- Range management science & policy : politics, polemics & pasture in southern Africa / Ian Scoones -- Soil Erosion, animals & pasture over the longer term : environmental destruction in southern Africa / William Beinart -- Desertification : narratives, winners & losers / Jeremy Swift -- Wildlife, pastoralists & science : debates concerning Mkomazi Game Reserve, Tanzania / Daniel Brockington & Katherine Homewood -- Rethinking the forest-savanna mosaic : colonial science & its relics in West Africa / James Fairhead & Melissa Leach -- Dryland forestry : manufacturing forests & farming trees in Nigeria / Reginald Cline-Cole -- Soil erosion : breaking new ground / Michael Stocking -- Irrigation, erosion & famine : visions of environmental change in Marakwet, Kenya / W.M. Adams -- Land & capital : blind spots in the study of the "resource-poor" farmer / Mary Tiffen -- Cultural construction of environmental policy : paradigms & politics in Ethiopia / Allan Hoben. Paper Edition. This book questions the reasoning behind such images, as children starving and environmental destruction, and brings us critical current information about environmental change.