Major Problems in American Environmental History

Major Problems in American History

by Carolyn Merchant (Editor), Thomas G. Paterson (Editor)

This volume traces the history of environmental conditions in the United States through the examination of critical issues such as pollution, conservation, and wilderness preservation. The Second Edition of this popular text includes several new essays and documents and pays particular attention to multiculturalism and gender throughout. In order to place American environmental issues in a larger context, the text emphasizes international relations and globalization.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Science, American History, Environment

542 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Carolyn Merchant is an American ecofeminist philosopher and historian of science most famous for her theory (and book of the same title) on The Death of Nature, whereby she identifies the Scientific Revolution of the seventeenth century as the period when science began to atomize, objectify, and dissect nature, foretelling its eventual conception as composed of inert atomic particles. Her works are important in the development of environmental history and the history of science. She is Professor emerita of Environmental History, Philosophy, and Ethics at UC Berkeley.

Reviews

[Jessica DeWitt]

This collection offers a wide selection of essays and primary sources, which represent the field of environmental history quite well. I would recommend it for an upper-level undergraduate environmental history course.

Two Issues:
1. This collection is beginning to show its age. The scholars showcased are considered to be grandfathers and mothers of environmental history. An updated version would be excellent.

2. I can't stand the title. Suggesting that these "problems" are unique to enviromental history is misleading; all history is affected by the postmodern malaise. I also do not think that the fact that historians come to different conclusions using the same evidence is a "problem," rather it is just the nature of the beast. Lastly, the title is likely to turn off many students who are skeptical about taking a course in environmental history in the first place: "why should we learn about a topic that is problematic?"

[Cari Brazie]

Great book! Compliation of many environmental essays.

[Tony]

Very intelligently put together. Only the one minor criticism: It lacks an index, to be more useful.

[Brad Austin]

Designed as a textbook, it is a good basic primer to the field.