Synopses & Reviews
"Walton first uses his magnifying glass to capture images of struggle in a California valley during a century and a half of transformation, then inverts it to scrutinize the American state, popular politics, and collective action in general. The maneuver is bold, the outcome stimulating."Charles Tilly, New School for Social Research
"A passionate and first rate historical adventure. The plot is as intricate, fascinating, and full of intrigue and detail as a Dickens or a Tolstoy novel."John Nichols, author of The Milagro Beanfield War
Synopsis
Western Times and Water Wars chronicles more than a hundred years of tumultuous events in the history of California's Owens Valley. From the pioneer conquest of the native inhabitants to the infamous destruction of the valley's agrarian economy by water-hungry Los Angeles, this legendary setting is a microcosm of the development of the American West.
About the Author
John Walton is Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of California, Davis.
Table of Contents
Preface
1. Introduction
2. Conquest and Incorporation
3. Pioneer Economy and Social Structure
4. Frontier Civil Society
5. Rebellion
6. The Local World Transformed
7. The Environmental Movement
8. State, Culture, and Collective Action