Synopses & Reviews
Ranging from prehistory to the present and encompassing the whole of South Asia, this new volume offers the first chronological history of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka from the perspective of the crucial reciprocal relationship between humankind and the environment.
South Asia: An Environmental History shows how the civilizations of this geographically diverse region were formed (physically, ethically, and culturally) by their interactions with the environment—a relationship with particularly strong social and spiritual dimensions because of the interdependence of the predominantly agrarian population and the land. Specific topics range from ancient irrigation techniques and peasant adaptation to the environment, to the impact of imperialism on nature, the effect of post-colonial technology on contemporary life, and the enduring influence of religion on the way South Asian societies address ecological issues.
Review
"South Asia: An Environmental History would be an excellent addition to all academic libraries, especially those with strong Asian Studies or environmental collections." - Reference & User Services Quarterly
Review
"This volume, as with the others in the series, is highly recommended for academic libraries as a good source to give undergraduates a place to start to get background on specific regions of the world, their environmental issues, history, and politics." - ARBA
Review
". . . this handbook offers a chronologically organized environmental history of a staggeringly complex region. By focusing on the crucial reciprocal relationship between South Asia's inhabitants and their environment, it explores the effect of humans on their surroundings, as well as the influence of nature on the evolution of South Asian cultures." - APADE
Synopsis
Ranging from prehistory to the present and encompassing the whole of South Asia, this volume in ABC-CLIO's Nature and Human Societies series offers the first chronological history of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka from the perspective of the crucial reciprocal relationship between humankind and the environment.
South Asia: An Environmental History shows how the civilizations of this geographically diverse region were formed (physically, ethically, and culturally) by their interactions with the environment--a relationship with particularly strong social and spiritual dimensions because of the interdependence of the predominantly agrarian population and the land. Specific topics range from ancient irrigation techniques and peasant adaptation to the environment, to the impact of imperialism on nature, the effect of post-colonial technology on contemporary life, and the enduring influence of religion on the way South Asian societies address ecological issues.
Synopsis
This work is a chronological study of South Asia that emphasizes the effect of humans on their environment, and in return the influence of nature on the evolution of human society.
Synopsis
• A comprehensive environmental history of South Asia, offering a coherent, authoritative overview of this fascinating region
• Serves as a significant addition to the burgeoning literature on peasant studies in India
• Shows how, in numerous cases, life or death for the vast majority of the population of South Asia hinges on their relationship with their environment
Synopsis
• A chronology charting important events in the environmental history of South Asia, from the development of the Indus civilization ca. 2500 B.C.E., to the impact on Sri Lanka of the tsunami of December 2004
• A series of maps ranging from general depictions of South Asian physiography to specific topics, such as the westward movement of the Kosi River from 1732 to 1948