Environmental Changes


The Futures of Nature

Environmental Changes

Céline Granjou, National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), Grenoble, France


ISBN : 9781785480263

Publication Date : March 2016

Hardcover 190 pp

100.00 USD

Co-publisher

Description


This book addresses environmental changes and how they reconfigure society’s relationship to the future. It argues that Man does not build “his” future alone: instead, environmental changes are also proof of the future-making capacity of non-human beings.

The author elaborates on the notion of the futures of Nature by drawing on theoretical contributions by recent ground-breaking literature in the field of environmental humanities. The book also builds on a sociological investigation into the practices implemented by environmental scientists, experts and managers confronted with environmental changes.

Thinking of nature in terms of its futures requires us to overcome the rooted philosophical tradition that associates nature with permanence and society with creative change. This is a daunting task which can only be successful if we look beyond the long-lasting influence of the human-centered categories of innovation, development and civilization that social sciences have themselves contributed to coining. We need to consider the active capacities of change and transformation of living beings and matter itself.

This book is of academic interest, but is also for managers in different fields and areas affected by environmental changes.

Contents


1. The Time Beast.
2. Mad Cows.
3. Anticipating the Futures of Biodiversity.

About the authors/editors


Céline Granjou is a Research Director at IRSTEA, the National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture, based in Grenoble, France, and research fellow at the CNRS (French national center for scientific research), Pacte.

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