Himalayan perceptions
Subtitle: environmental change and the well-being of mountain peoples
By: Jack D. Ives.
Series: Routledge studies in physical geography and environment ;; 6
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2004
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 271
Subjects: Human ecology -- Himalaya Mountains Region.; Indigenous peoples -- Ecology -- Himalaya Mountains Region.; Mountain people -- Himalaya Mountains Region -- Social conditions.; Deforestation -- Himalaya Mountains Region.; Culture and tourism -- Himalaya Mountains Region.; Environmental degradation -- Himalaya Mountains Region.; Environmental policy -- Himalaya Mountains Region.; Himalaya Mountains Region -- Social conditions.; Himalaya Mountains Region -- Environmental conditions.
Description: "In the 1970s and 1980s many institutions, agencies, and scholars believed that the Himalayan region was facing imminent environmental disaster. They argued that rapid growth in population had caused extensive deforestation, which in turn had led to massive landsliding, soil erosion and widespread flooding downstream in northeast India and Bangladesh. This series of assumptions was first challenged in the book The Himalayan Dilemma (1989: Ives and Messerli, Routledge). Nevertheless, the environmental crisis paradigm still exerts considerable support and continues to be promoted by the news media." "Himalayan Perceptions discusses the evolving attitudes toward environmental change, the confusion of misunderstanding, vested interests, and institutional unwillingness to base development policy on sound scientific knowledge. It brings together and analyses the extensive amount of new research published since 1989 and totally refutes the entire construct of the environmental crisis paradigm. This is followed by examination of recent social and economic developments in the region and it identifies widespread oppression of poor ethnic minorities, which leads to civil unrest, guerrilla activities and warfare, as the primary cause for the instability that pervades the entire region. It is argued that the development controversy is further confounded by exaggerated reporting, even falsification, by news media, environmental publications, and agency reports alike." "Illustrated with numerous photographs and detailed examples, Himalayan Perceptions will prove an invaluable resource for all those interested in the Himalayan region."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: The myth of Himalayan environmental degradation; title: The Himalayan region : an overview; title: Status of the mountain forests; title: Geomorphology of agricultural landscapes; title: Flooding in Bangladesh : causes and perceptions of causes; title: Mountain hazards; title: Tourism and its impacts; title: Conflict, tension, and the oppression of mountain peoples; title: Prospects for future development : assets and obstacles; title: What are the facts? misleading perceptions, misconceptions, and distortions; title: Redefining the dilemma : is there a way out?