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Part 1: Shepard Krech and his critics -- 1. Beyond The ecological Indian / Shepard Krech III -- 2. The ecological Indian and the politics of representation: critiquing The ecological Indian in the age of ecocide / Darren J. Ranco -- 3. Myths of the ecological whitemen: histories, science, and rights in North American-Native American relations / Harvey A. Feit -- Part 2: (Over)hunting large game -- 4. Did the ancestors of Native Americans cause animal extinctions in late-pleistocene North America? And does it matter if they did? / Robert L. Kelly and Mary M. Prasciunas -- 5. Rationality and resource use among hunters: some Eskimo examples / Ernest S. Burch Jr. -- 6. Wars over buffalo: stories versus stories on the Northern Plains / Dan Flores -- Part 3: Representations of Indians and animals -- 7. Watch for falling bison : the buffalo hunt as museum trope and ecological allegory / John Dorst -- 8. Ecological and un-ecological Indians : the (non)portrayal of Plains Indians in the buffalo commons literature / Sebastian F. Braun -- Part 4: Traditional ecological knowledge -- 9. Swallowing wealth : Northwest Coast beliefs and ecological practices / Michael E. Harkin -- 10. Sustaining a relationship : inquiry into the emergence of a logic of engagement with salmon among the southern Tlingits / Stephen J. Langdon -- Part 5: Contemporary resource management issues -- 11. The politics of cultural revitalization and intertribal resource management: the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota / Larry Nesper and James H. Schlender -- 12. Skull Valley goshutes and the politics of nuclear waste: environment, identity, and sovereignty / David Rich Lewis

The approach of V. Hauff (Ed), in Unsere gemeinsame Zukunft. Der Brundtland-Bericht der Weltkommission fur Umwelt und Entwicklung ([Our Common Future: The Brundtland Report of the World Commission on the Environment and Development] Greven, 1987), to global prospects for development in a context of increasing ecological crisis is criticized for three specific deficits: it emphasizes conflict avoidance at the cost of a clear setting of global priorities; it places stock in technological & structural developments as positive regulators of change without any empirical foundation; & it fails to distinguish active from passive integration of the world market. These criticisms suggest several lines for conceptualizing global environmental policy, prompting a discussion of the respective merits of neoliberal & neo-Keynesian environmental policy, communicative rationality, & systemic ecological rationality. Initial steps toward developing a theoretical basis & empirical research strategy for structural environmental protection are suggested. 1 Figure, 36 References. A. Levine

The vast majority of environmental problems derive from human action, by dangerously disrupting the natural activity of the biosphere. However, as ecological problems are piling up also a greater ecological awareness is developing in the world, supported by several Non-Governmental Organizations – NGO. These organizations often lead governments in the creation of funds for the protection of ecosystems and endangered species. In fact, although legal regulations put pressure on governments to adopt greener policies, recent history shows that there is still a long way to go, since the ecological question does not obey merely the legal norms, but mainly to individual and community ethical values. This work examines the environmental crisis in the perspective of a real and global problem, linked to the concept of Sustainable Development – SD. It aims to instigate a greater sensitivity to environmental issues in the decision-making entities, encouraging them to be more involved in the adoption of more sustainable development models. The study relies on a critical review of the literature. To understand how it reached to a saturation point of the environment on a global scale, it highlights the environmental crisis and the awakening of consciences to the principles of SD, the hegemonic development of capitalism and the environmental ethics, in the context of carrying capacity of the planet. The environmental ethics and the planet's carrying capacity At the beginning of the new millennium the indicators show that mankind consumes natural resources 50% more than the Earth can provide. The ecological footprint is twice the 1966 ecological footprint (WWF, 2010), requiring 1.5 planets to satisfy the needs of the current society. A sustainable community is generally defined as one that is able to meet their needs without reducing the related odds for the next generations. The Earth resistance limits clearly indicate that as the consumption of energy accelerates more quickly decreases the real time available for species. Thus, an organism that consumes their livelihood faster than the environment produces them has no chance to survive (Tiezzi 1988). Throughout human evolution, it can be found registers of societies whose criteria to satisfaction of needs have their genesis in the carrying capacity of the environment (Fernandes, 2001), connecting to the cosmos and feeling part of it. In these societies, the man is connected by ties of training and information to land, air, water, plants and animals (Branco 1989). Closely linked to the society development is the concept of 'carrying capacity' expression originally proposed by the ecology, indicating the maximum theoretical density of individuals that the environment can support in the long-term (Odum 1997). This concept is much more complex when related to human societies. In fact, in these societies, the carrying capacity takes on a new dimension to incorporate other elements such as technology, accumulated knowledge and the relationship between social groups (Odum, 1997). It shows how human societies have skills to acquire and incorporate natural resources from other environments or societies (Odum, 1997). So, while poor countries cannot meet their needs with their own resources, technological resources and accumulation of knowledge, the rich countries' lifestyle based on high consumption of resources, energy and technology largely exceeded the carrying capacity of their territories. To satisfy their demand, they import energy, goods and services from poor countries, which mean an extension of the carrying capacity promoted by political, economic and even military mechanisms (Odum, 1997). If, for example, each person wishes to achieve the lifestyle of an American, it would not be possible to accommodate the entire planet's population. Americans represent 4% of world population, but consume 33% of energy and natural resources of the world (Medina, 2010). In the begin of this millennium the developed countries represented less than 25% of the world population, but consuming 75% of all the energy produced, 70% of fuels, 85% of timber and 72% of steel (Kraemer, 2003). This development model requires high rates of rejection of waste and effluents. Therefore, while developed societies perform as a model for all other societies, it rejects the maintenance of the natural system which systematically is destroyed (Medina, 2010). There have been several discourses grounded in ethics and solidarity to deal with the ecological crisis. Arruda (1998) appeals to the logics of the 'solidarity socio-economy', of the 'being' and the 'enough', as opposed to the logic of the 'big', of the 'only has value who owns' and the 'unlimited growth'. Similarly, Fernandes (2001) considers the 'ethics of the necessary', a reflection on what is the quality of life and the individual and social needs and desires, given the physical limits of the Earth, the technological uncertainties and the prospective of reducing inequalities between people. Acselrad (2006) argues that the 'discourse of efficiency' is the dominant model in liberal economies; the remaining ones correspond to alternative proposals to achieve sustainable development, all having the same common denominator – the reduction. Main findings Development is a geographical, vast, dynamic and constantly changing concept. What seems to be transversal to all communities is ensuring an improvement project of life quality. Thus, in every time and place, each social group acquires and adapts the resources according to their beliefs, values, culture, social organization and the dominant economic system. In the last half of the twentieth century, societies assumed the development as a right, and the governments were responsible for achieving it. However, the economic centred models that were adopted resulted in extreme inequalities between world northern and southern countries. Overall, cultural diversity was despised and adjusted to global hegemonic model, turning people into monocultural societies. The ecology radically reproves the rationality of modern society and the prevailing economic ideology, and various thinkers claim that the current capitalist expansion stage will result in further increase in social inequalities, injustices and intense devastation of nature. Even so, the socio-political dynamic continues incompatible with the carrying capacity of the planet, compromising the quality of life of future generations. Therefore, it is necessary to change mentalities and to promote an ethical attitude of respect for nature, as advocated by the world summits, environmental NGO and science, in order to test a new paradigm of social organization.

AbstractMany compelling examples have recently been provided in which people can achieve impressive epistemic success, e.g. draw highly accurate inferences, by using simple heuristics and very little information. This is possible by taking advantage of the features of the environment. The examples suggest an easy and appealing naturalization of rationality: on the one hand, people clearlycanapply simple heuristics, and on the other hand, they intuitivelyoughtdo so when this brings them high accuracy at little cost.. The 'ought-can' principle is satisfied, and rationality is meaningfully normative. We show, however, that this naturalization program is endangered by a computational wrinkle in the adaptation process taken to be responsible for this heuristics-based ('ecological') rationality: for the adaptation process to guarantee even minimal rationality, it requires astronomical computational resources, making the problem intractable. We consider various plausible auxiliary assumptions in attempt to remove this obstacle, and show that they do not succeed; intractability is a robust property of adaptation. We discuss the implications of our findings for the project of naturalizing rationality.

Lowi, T. J.: Think globally, lose locally. - S. 17-38. Lafferty, W. M.: Democracy and ecological rationality: new trials for an old ceremony. - S. 39-65. Jinadu, L. A.: Globalization and the new partnership: an African perspective. - S. 67-81. Deblock, C.; Brunelle, D.: Globalization and new normative frameworks: the mulitlateral agreement on investment. - S. 83-126. Perreault, N.: Czechoslovakia: secession and the formation of a new partnership. - S. 129-151. ... Seymour, M.: The virtues of partnership. - S. 267-283. Pelletier, R.: The institutional arrangements of a new Canadian partnership. - S. 285-300

Front -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Creation, Creativity, and Creatureliness: The Wisdom of Finite Existence -- Rowan Williams and Ecological Rationality -- The Art of Creaturely Life: A Question of Human Propriety -- Face of Nature, Gift of Creation: Thoughts Toward a Phenomenology of -- Creativity as Call to Care for Creation? John Zizioulas and Jean-Louis Chrétien -- Creature Discomforts: Levinas's Interpretation of Creation -- Reflections from Thoreau's Concord -- Creation and the Glory of Creatures -- Care of the Soil, Care of the Self: Creation and Creativity in the American Suburbs -- Dream Writing Beyond a Wounded World: Topographies of the Eco-Divine -- Notes -- Contributors -- Index.

This article examines agroecology from a political economy perspective and opens a line for an interdisciplinary approach between economics and ecology. To this end, the logic of capital in capitalist production and in peasant agriculture is analyzed along with its relationship to nature and the land. In this vein, based on the concept of the thing-process duality in capital, an attempt is made to relate the logic of capital to the economic and ecological rationality present in capitalist and peasant agriculture. Using a concrete example, it is shown how ecological rationality, over and above capital, centralizes and corrects productive processes. From this perspective - the workings of its antagonist —agribusiness—is explored, presenting concepts that support the contention that an agroecological movement makes sense in current times. El artículo examina a la agroecología desde la economía política y abre una línea de aproximación interdisciplinaria entre economía y ecología. Para ello se analiza la lógica del capital en la producción capitalista como también en la agricultura campesina y su relación con la naturaleza y la tierra. En esta línea, a partir del concepto de dualidad cosa-proceso del capital, se intenta relacionar la lógica del capital con la racionalidad económica y ecológica presente en la agricultura capitalista y campesina. A partir de un ejemplo concreto se muestra como la racionalidad ecológica, por sobre el capital, centraliza y disciplina los procesos productivos. Desde esta perspectiva se indaga sobre el funcionamiento de su antagonismo –el agronegocio-, presentando conceptos que permiten argumentar sobre el porqué tiene sentido un movimiento agroecológico en estos tiempos actuales.

How can huge populations be fed healthily, equitably and affordably while maintaining the ecosystems on which life depends? The evidence of diet's impact on public health and the environment has grown in recent decades, yet changing food supply, consumer habits and economic aspirations proves hard.This book explores what is meant by sustainable diets and why this has to be the goal for the Anthropocene, the current era in which human activities are driving the mismatch of humans and the planet. Food production and consumption are key drivers of transitions already underway, yet policy makers hesitate to reshape public eating habits and tackle the unsustainability of the global food system.The authors propose a multi-criteria approach to sustainable diets, giving equal weight to nutrition and public health, the environment, socio-cultural issues, food quality, economics and governance. This six-pronged approach to sustainable diets brings order and rationality to what either is seen as too complex to handle or is addressed simplistically and ineffectually. The book provides a major overview of this vibrant issue of interdisciplinary and public interest. It outlines the reasons for concern and how actors throughout the food system (governments, producers, civil society and consumers) must engage with (un)sustainable diets.

Abstract Although the conservation title of the 1985 Food Security Act was hailed by many as revolutionary in its attempts to control soil erosion, it has failed to live up to its billing. A theory is used that asserts that the state's systemic commitment to promoting capitalist growth constrains it from establishing and implementing policies that accomplish anything more than displacing one environmental problem onto others. The theory is tested through a discourse analysis of the hearings surrounding the Federal government's attempt to control soil erosion through the 1985 Food Security Act, which revealed that policy recommendations challenging the drive to maximize efficiency and production were declared flawed and unacceptable. Hence, the hearings were systematically distorted in favor of the dominant instrumental rationality. It is concluded that government policy initiatives alone are insufficient and that creating alternative social organizations of production is necessary to promote ecological well‐being.

CONCERN ABOUT THE SLOW PROGRESS OF LIBERAL REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACIES ON QUESTIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT HAS ENCOURGAED RESEARCH INTO ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF DEMOCRACY WHICH MIGHT BETTER INFORM ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING. FORMS OF DELIBERATIVE, STRONG OR "PARTICIPATORY" DEMOCRACY WHICH EMPHASIZE GREATER PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION-MAKING HAVE PARTICULAR APPEAL FOR MANY ENVIRONMENTALISTS. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN SURPRISINGLY LITTLE CRITICAL EVALUATION OF THESE THEORIES IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT. THIS ARTICLE EVALUATES THEORIES OF PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY IN THE CONTEXT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND WHERE MAJOR RESTRUCTURING HAS CREATED NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIMENTATION. THIS OPPORTUNITY TO "GREEN" THEORIES OF DEMOCRACY SHOULD FORCE THEORISTS TO CONSIDER ECOLOGICAL RATIONALITY, COMMUNITY DIVERSITY, THE NEEDS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS, CLAIMS OF INTRINSIC VALUE, AND THE POLITICAL SOVEREIGNTY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.

This book provides a better understanding of the changing roles of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in promoting sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Peru. The book focuses on the domains of organic production, business social responsibility and sustainable production. The innovative study uses a combination of network and discourse analyses to identify the main patterns and shifts in the roles of NGOs in order to deal with sustainability and the market. Two major contemporary sociological theories - ecological modernization theory and network society theory - are applied to frame the analysis.The in-depth analysis of international networks of NGOs operating in Peru provide valuable inputs in terms of changes in network and discourse patterns, and consequently, changing roles for NGOs. Remarkably, social movement, liberal market and sustainability viewpoints are generating new networks and new discourses, with a prominent position of national and international NGOs vis-à-vis SMEs, and in absence of the national state. Next to the usual 'watchdog' roles, NGOs are developing roles of 'helper' in order to answer to the market needs of SMEs. The analyses challenges Castells scheme of space of flows versus space of place and suggests considering in ecological modernization theory both ecological rationality and social rationality in order to advance environmental governance of SMEs in developing countries, particularly in Latin America

This book provides a better understanding of the changing roles of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in promoting sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Peru. The book focuses on the domains of organic production, business social responsibility and sustainable production. The innovative study uses a combination of network and discourse analyses to identify the main patterns and shifts in the roles of NGOs in order to deal with sustainability and the market. Two major contemporary sociological theories - ecological modernization theory and network society theory - are applied to frame the analysis. The in-depth analysis of international networks of NGOs operating in Peru provide valuable inputs in terms of changes in network and discourse patterns, and consequently, changing roles for NGOs. Remarkably, social movement, liberal market and sustainability viewpoints are generating new networks and new discourses, with a prominent position of national and international NGOs vis-Ã -vis SMEs, and in absence of the national state. Next to the usual 'watchdog' roles, NGOs are developing roles of 'helper' in order to answer to the market needs of SMEs. The analyses challenges Castells scheme of space of flows versus space of place and suggests considering in ecological modernization theory both ecological rationality and social rationality in order to advance environmental governance of SMEs in developing countries, particularly in Latin America