The Politics of the Earth Environmental Discourses

About this book

The Politics of the Earth provides an accessible and engaging introduction to thinking about the environment by looking at the way people use language on environmental issues. Leading scholar John S. Dryzek analyses the various approaches which have dominated environmental issues over the last three decades and which are likely to be influential in the future, including survivalism, environmental problem solving, sustainability, and green radicalism.

This new edition includes more on global environmental politics, as well as updated and expanded examples including more material on China. Dryzek looks at the most modern discourses, including discussions surrounding climate change, and has reworked the material on justice and green radicalism to include more on climate justice and new developments such as transition towns and radical summits. An engaging writing style and helpful boxed material make this complex subject accessible to students.

New to this edition:
- Coverage of the most modern discourses, including discussions surrounding climate change.
- More material on global environmental politics, and updated and expanded examples including more material on China.
- Further discussion of environmental justice, with a particular focus on climate justice.
- Reworked material on green radicalism, including such new developments as transition towns and radical summits.
- Expanded conclusion including more on ecological democracy as one of a variety of perspectives.

Contents

Part I Introduction
1: Making Sense of Earth's Politics: A Discourse Approach

Part II Global Limits and their Denial
2: Looming Tragedy: Survivalism
3: Growth Forever: The Promethean Response

Part III Solving Environmental Problems
4: Leave it to the Experts: Administrative Rationalism
5: Leave it to the People: Democratic Pragmatism
6: Leave it to the Market: Economic Rationalism

Part IV The Quest for Sustainability
7: Environmentally Benign Growth: Sustainable Development
8: Industrial Society and Beyond: Ecological Modernization

Part V Green Radicalism
9: Changing People: Green Consciousness
10: Changing Society: Green Politics

Part VI Conclusion
11: Ecological Democracy

Customer Reviews

Biography

John S. Dryzek is Professor of Political Science and Australian Research Council Federation Fellow at the Australian National University. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, former Head of the Departments of Political Science at the Universities of Oregon and Melbourne and the Social and Political Theory program at ANU, and former editor of the Australian Journal of Political Science.