Overview

By the canons of orthodox social science, countries like India are not supposed to have an environmental consciousness. They are, as it were, ""too poor to be green."" In this deeply researched book, Ramachandra Guha challenges this narrative by revealing a virtually unknown prehistory of the global movement set far outside Europe or America. Long before the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and well before climate change, ten remarkable individuals wrote with deep insight about the dangers of environmental abuse from within an Indian context. In strikingly contemporary language, Rabindranath Tagore, Radhakamal Mukerjee, J. C. Kumarappa, Patrick Geddes, Albert and Gabrielle Howard, Mira, Verrier Elwin, K. M. Munshi, and M. Krishnan wrote about the forest and the wild, soil and water, urbanization and industrialization. Positing the idea of what Guha calls ""livelihood environmentalism"" in contrast to the ""full-stomach environmentalism"" of the affluent world, these writers, activists, and scientists played a pioneering role in shaping global conversations about humanity's relationship with nature. Spanning more than a century of Indian history, and decidedly transnational in reference, this book offers rich resources for considering the threat of climate change today.

Full Product Details

9798228605596

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Ramachandra Guha is the author of many books, including India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy and Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914-1948. Guha's awards include the Leopold-Hidy Prize of the American Society of Environmental History, the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography, and the Fukuoka Prize for contributions to Asian studies. He lives in Bangalore. Neil Shah is an Audie-nominated and multi AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator who has recorded over 250 audiobooks spanning across almost every genre, as well as numerous long-form journalism articles. AudioFile magazine has commended him for ""an absolutely mesmerizing listening experience"" and as ""an outstanding narrator who adds a healthy dose of personality to each of the characters."" As a classically trained actor, he has appeared off Broadway and on regional stages, as well as in film and television. He records from his home studio in Oregon's beautiful Wine Country. Neil Shah is an Audie-nominated and multi AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator who has recorded over 250 audiobooks spanning across almost every genre, as well as numerous long-form journalism articles. AudioFile magazine has commended him for ""an absolutely mesmerizing listening experience"" and as ""an outstanding narrator who adds a healthy dose of personality to each of the characters."" As a classically trained actor, he has appeared off Broadway and on regional stages, as well as in film and television. He records from his home studio in Oregon's beautiful Wine Country.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available