Introduction to Cultural Ecology

About the Book

All peoples and cultures face environmental issues—but as this accessible text shows, how they respond to such issues varies widely around the world and across human history. Introduction to Cultural Ecology, Third Edition, familiarizes students with the foundations of the field and provides a framework for exploring what other cultures can teach us about human/environment relationships.

Drawing on both biological and cultural approaches, the authors first cover basic principles of cultural anthropology, environmental studies, and human biological adaptations to the environment. They then consider environmental concerns within the context of diverse means of making a living, from hunting and gathering to modern industrial societies; detailed case studies add depth and breadth to the discussion.

Table of Contents:

Contents
List of Figures and Tables
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction
What Is Cultural Ecology?
Anthropology
The Study of Human Ecology
A History of Thought on Culture and Environment
The Rise of Cultural Ecology
Thus . . .
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
2 Fundamentals of Ecology
The Environment
Niche and Habitat
Resources
Energy
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
3 Human Biological Ecology
Humans as Animals
Biological Adaptations
Human Population Regulation
Nutrition
Evolutionary Ecology
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
CASE STUDY 3.1. The Dietary Role of Insects in the Ancient Great Basin
4 Cultural Ecology
Human Capabilities
Culture as an Adaptive Mechanism
Traditional Knowledge Systems
Human Control of the Environment
Decision Making
A Concluding Thought on Management
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
5 Hunting and Gathering
Hunter-Gatherer Classification
The Hunter-Gatherer Stereotype
Bias in Hunter-Gatherer Studies
Population
Settlement and Subsistence
Environmental Manipulation and Resource Management
Relations with other Groups
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
CASE STUDY 5.1: The Nuu-chah-nulth of British Columbia
CASE STUDY 5.2: The Mbuti of the Ituri Forest
6 The Origins of Food Production
Agricultural Domestication
The Transition to Farming
On the Origin of Agriculture
Types of Agriculture
The Impact of Agriculture
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
7 Horticulture
Horticultural Techniques
Use of Wild Resources
Environmental Manipulation and Resource Management
Relations with Other Groups
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
CASE STUDY 7.1: The Grand Valley Dani of Highland New Guinea
CASE STUDY 7.2: The Lozi of Western Zambia
8 Pastoralism
General Sociopolitical Organization
Types of Pastoralism
The Geography of Pastoralism
The Origin of Pastoralism
Some Parameters of Pastoralism
Use of Nonpastoral Products
Environmental Manipulation and Resource Management
Relations with Other Groups
A Note on the Impact of Grazing
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
CASE STUDY 8.1: The Maasai: Pastoralists in East Africa
CASE STUDY 8.2: The Navajo: Pastoralists of the American Southwest
CASE STUDY 8.3: Cattle Ranchers in the American West, by Kimberly Hedrick
9 Intensive Agriculture
Changes in Scale
Techniques of Intensive Agriculture
Contemporary Industrialized Agriculture
Environmental Manipulation and Resource Management
Relations with Other Groups
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
CASE STUDY 9.1: Mountains and Water: The Traditional Agricultural System along South Coastal China
CASE STUDY 9.2: The Maya Agricultural System
10 Current Issues and Problems
The Tragedy of the Commons
Agricultural Involution
Agricultural Development and Intensification
The Rainforest Dilemma
The General Problem
Chapter Summary
Key Terms
Glossary
References
Index
About the Authors

About the Author :

Mark Q. Sutton is professor emeritus of anthropology at California State University, Bakersfield, and is principal investigator at Statistical Research, Inc., a cultural resource management and heritage preservation firm.

E. N. Anderson is professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of California, Riverside.

Review :
Discussion of human-environmental interactions is increasingly politicized leaving anthropologically, biologically, ecologically, and geographically minded students and professionals wondering: ‘What can be agreed upon regarding people in the context of environments?’ Fractured perspectives and theoretical positions abound, ranging from anthropology to environmental science to environmental philosophy. This third edition of Sutton and Anderson’s Introduction to Cultural Ecology goes back to basics and summarizes established knowledge about people in environments, but also contextualizes this long history of empirical research and theoretical development within contemporary perspectives that matter in terms of sustainability, political ecology, and conservation. We live in challenging times in which environmental problems are one of the most pressing issues. In order to make sense of these challenges, Sutton and Anderson offer a wide-ranging, comprehensive, and critical introduction to cultural ecology. By showing us the complexities of human-environmental relations, from the local to the global, including a wide array of case studies, the authors have given us the essential primer for the field of environmental anthropology. This revised and updated edition of Introduction to Cultural Ecology is the definitive go-to text for undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as an excellent resource for seasoned researchers. Sutton and Anderson’s book provides solid empirical grounding for studying cultural-ecological relationships at various scales of human organization, while also suggesting a way of understanding the world that gives us hope for sustainable solutions to a variety of contemporary environmental problems.