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Rooted in the Land: Essays on Community and Place
Although contemporary society seems to promote the values of individualism and mobility, this engrossing book is dedicated to the notion that human lives are enriched by participation in a social community that is integrated into the natural landscape of a particular place. The 34 contributors―who include David Ehrenfeld, Lynn R. Miller, Wendell Berry, Deborah Tall, David W. Orr, Robert Swann, and Susan Witt, as well as other philosophers, scientists, activists, economists, historians, farmers and ranchers, sociologists, theologians, and political scientists―offer an array of social and ecological perspectives on the nature of "community."
The editors, William Vitek and Wes Jackson, contend that a deeper understanding of communities is critical for the health of the planet and the human spirit. They offer a compelling collection of new and classic writings―many in the form of personal narrative―that extend E. F. Schumacher's ideas about the importance of human scale and Aldo Leopold's concept of biotic citizenship. Proposing eloquent defenses of community life and practical suggestions for becoming connected to others and native to a place, the writers explore the loss of community, the philosophical foundations of communities, and the current renewal of community life.
The editors, William Vitek and Wes Jackson, contend that a deeper understanding of communities is critical for the health of the planet and the human spirit. They offer a compelling collection of new and classic writings―many in the form of personal narrative―that extend E. F. Schumacher's ideas about the importance of human scale and Aldo Leopold's concept of biotic citizenship. Proposing eloquent defenses of community life and practical suggestions for becoming connected to others and native to a place, the writers explore the loss of community, the philosophical foundations of communities, and the current renewal of community life.
302 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 1, 2013
This isn't a review, but just some nice quotes from two of the articles and a short summary of another.
Rediscovering the land, by William Vitek (the editor)
Quote on pg. 3: "The connection between human communities and place is not unique to rural areas, but here one can be certain that the land is not mere scenery and hiking trail, or resources in need of extraction. Here the land becomes part of people’s lives, intermingled with buying and selling, working and playing, living and dying. It is both history and future."
Quote on pg. 4: "Writing about community – like living in a community – resembles a process and a narrative rather than a series of definitions and maxims."
Quote on pg. 7: This book "is dedicated to the search…for a community life rooted in a place that is known, loved and honored."
From monoculture to polyculture, by Paul Custodio Bube
Bube uses the agricultural terms "monoculture" and "polyculture" to demonstrate a point about human cultures. In agriculture, a monoculture is one species that is grown by itself over and over on the same piece of land. It is unsustainable, in that it depletes the soil and requires additional inputs to keep the growth going. Polyculture by contrast is when multiple species are intermixed and grown on the same patch of land, albeit growing and maturing at different times of the year, thus providing a rich soil for the other plants to grow in. He criticizes both "positivism" and "fundamentalism" (as philosophical stances that have been adopted by society at large) because of their monocultural view of society, i.e. they either see it essential to segregate cultures so that each can thrive, or to assimilate non-dominant cultures into the dominant culture for the sake of survival of everyone. He extends the metaphor of agricultural polyculture to society: a polycultural society provides fertile ground on which all cultures can interact and grow "in the richness that comes from encountering differences at all levels of experience." (pg. 34). "Polyculturalism is as necessary to sustaining a healthy American community as…polycultural agriculture is to sustaining farming…"
Dwelling: Making peace with space and place, by Deborah Tall
Quote on pg. 108: "The avoidance of ties to a place, which take years to build, removes constraints, allows us to be indifferent to our towns and cities, to ignore their human and environmental plights, to say but this isn't mine. To cling to the right of mobility with all the freedoms it bestows is ultimately to contribute to destruction."
Rediscovering the land, by William Vitek (the editor)
Quote on pg. 3: "The connection between human communities and place is not unique to rural areas, but here one can be certain that the land is not mere scenery and hiking trail, or resources in need of extraction. Here the land becomes part of people’s lives, intermingled with buying and selling, working and playing, living and dying. It is both history and future."
Quote on pg. 4: "Writing about community – like living in a community – resembles a process and a narrative rather than a series of definitions and maxims."
Quote on pg. 7: This book "is dedicated to the search…for a community life rooted in a place that is known, loved and honored."
From monoculture to polyculture, by Paul Custodio Bube
Bube uses the agricultural terms "monoculture" and "polyculture" to demonstrate a point about human cultures. In agriculture, a monoculture is one species that is grown by itself over and over on the same piece of land. It is unsustainable, in that it depletes the soil and requires additional inputs to keep the growth going. Polyculture by contrast is when multiple species are intermixed and grown on the same patch of land, albeit growing and maturing at different times of the year, thus providing a rich soil for the other plants to grow in. He criticizes both "positivism" and "fundamentalism" (as philosophical stances that have been adopted by society at large) because of their monocultural view of society, i.e. they either see it essential to segregate cultures so that each can thrive, or to assimilate non-dominant cultures into the dominant culture for the sake of survival of everyone. He extends the metaphor of agricultural polyculture to society: a polycultural society provides fertile ground on which all cultures can interact and grow "in the richness that comes from encountering differences at all levels of experience." (pg. 34). "Polyculturalism is as necessary to sustaining a healthy American community as…polycultural agriculture is to sustaining farming…"
Dwelling: Making peace with space and place, by Deborah Tall
Quote on pg. 108: "The avoidance of ties to a place, which take years to build, removes constraints, allows us to be indifferent to our towns and cities, to ignore their human and environmental plights, to say but this isn't mine. To cling to the right of mobility with all the freedoms it bestows is ultimately to contribute to destruction."
March 27, 2008
years ago, while researching for a graduate class final paper, i came across this marvellous collection of essays. upon reading the significance of 'place', foodsheds, rootlessness, valuing ecological community, living on the land .. i came to discover the importance and relevance of these connections. this is perhaps the book that awakened my sincere love for nature writing, reflective works that nurture the soul and expand the heart.
July 15, 2010
This is a great collection of essays on ecology and community.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews