Subjects:  1. Indigenous peoples   2. Namibia   3. Government relations   4. History   5. 1884-1915   6. Politics - Current Events   7. Political Science   8. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights   9. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General   10. Social Science   

Customer Reviews (1)

Very educational!!!
I really appreciate that Mr. Ayittey wrote this book. It's very specific and interesting. He sets the record straight on ancient/pre-colonial African history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indigenous peoples   2. Africa   3. Politics and government   4. History   5. Customary law   6. Political History   7. Cultural And Social Anthropology   

Subjects:  1. Political anthropology   2. Africa   3. Indigenous peoples   4. Tribal government   5. Sociology   6. Social Science   7. Anthropology - Cultural   8. Africa - General   9. International Relations - General   

Subjects:  1. Indigenous peoples   2. Cultural studies   3. Interdisciplinary Studies   4. Southern Africa   

Customer Reviews (3)

Inspiration for Aspiring Community Development Reseachers
From the first page of his introduction, Jim Igoe's assertiveness in presenting his work on why and how community-based conservation is failing in parts of Tanzania as well as in the United States hits readers hard, sparking their interest in these issues. Over the last decade the term conservation has reached a fluid state in which it presents the world with a new obstacle of maintaining a balance between humans and the environment, which will ideally promote reciprocal productivity in a sustainable measure. Igoe's account of the state of conservation surrounding National Parks in both the United States and Northern Tanzania is unique. Not only was he able to portray his experiences in a manner in which a western reader can relate to, but he was also able to maintain an outside perspective while becoming immersed in a new culture. In affect, Igoe was able to make correlations between two indigenous cultures who are experiencing similar struggles as they have been pushed off their land in the interest of national conservation. Additionally, he critically assesses the current approaches, which are being used to address the issue of conflict between indigenous people, political leaders and environmental conservationists.
I found two dominant strengths in this literature, the first of which is his use of diverse cultural examples. As an undergraduate student with a strong interest in this topic as well as some previous knowledge concerning the issues presented, I found Igoe's narrative style refreshing as well as engaging. Readers are able to get a direct insight into the Maasai culture and a clear historical account of the implications of colonialism and religion. Additionally, Igoe presents the progression of the development of national parks and what resulted in western fortress conservation in Tanzania. Together this information provides a solid background allowing readers who are both educated and new to these topics to gain a better understanding of how the current state of conservation arose. Secondly, his combination of information creates a piece of literature that addresses critical global issues, which can be applied to a wide variety of disciplines. Alone this speaks highly for the books adaptability in various classrooms as well as a reference for professionals in various fields. Furthermore, it supports the fact that in order for new forms of conservation to be successful it is necessary to bring together experts in various social, political, and scientific disciplines.

Conservation Through the Eyes of a Native
The social consequences that conservation brings to indigenous people has often been ignored by those trying to protect natural resources and wildlife. Jim Igoe explains and displays what happens and has happened to the people who live outside the famous national parks many of us know and cherish around the world. He presents case studies of how people who live outside the parks have suffered all over the globe. He describes this situation with passion and personal examples, as he lived with many of the people he describes. His work has given him a unique perspective, as he did not travel or live like the typical tourist who wants to view the native flora and fauna that has been protected.

The book's primary focus is East Africa, but Jim includes a substantial amount of material from other regions and cultures. His strength, in this text, is his ability to look at conservation through a global lens, but with a native's perspective. His knack for engaging people at all levels shows in this book. Jim's writing is easy to follow, crystal clear, and relates his first hand experiences and examples in a way that quickly give his work broad appeal. He brings to life the reality of indigenous people struggling to adapt to globalization and the pressure on natural resource base they have relied on for centuries.

This book has appeal at many levels. For high school and undergraduate students it offers an interesting examples of how important anthropology is to understanding the human issues of many global problems. His personal examples and ideas offer discussion points, which once read will not be forgotten. For graduate students Jim offers many ideas on how his own work with NGO's (Non government organizations) got started, progressed, and changed his life. The importance of understanding land tenure, community control, the role of NGO's and different types of parks, as well as the capacity of the local people are all shown to clearly impact both conservation and local people. For conservationists, researchers, and the general public this book offers a unique perspective and voice of the people who have been displaced, lost their livelihoods, and in a few cases successfully adapted to this change.

Globalization has affected us all, and in many cases has had negative consequences for indigenous people. Jim clearly shows that there are much larger forces at work than simply protecting interests of the wildlife and wild areas. Exploring policies of the National Park Service in the United States, as well as policies of other countries, he weaves together the similarities and clearly points out the different ways in which natural resources are managed. In addition to offering an important critique of failed policies, Jim Igoe offers alternative solutions necessary for both the environment and social justice, while providing lessons in history, land tenure and policy making from all over the globe. I recommend this book to all of my students traveling abroad to work with indigenous people.

A clear and challenging account
Good authorship requires two things - a story to tell and good way of communicating it. Jim Igoe has both in buckets. Conservation and Globalisation is a clear and challenging story of how conservation practices can disrupt local lives and how apparently straightforward solutions to the problems resulting are riven with complexity and difficulty.

The book is based primarily on fieldwork in East Africa and Prof Igoe's enlivens his account of the problems of understanding the worlds he encountered there with a down to earth uncomplicated style that takes the reader right out to the towns and plains where the work was conducted. This is a must-read for any student contemplating ethnographic or anthropological fieldwork. But its scope is far more than merely East Africa. Prof Igoe's pen takes us to England before the Industrial Revolution and to the latest developments in National Parks in the US, Australia, Nepal, Brazil and Panama. He quite clearly shows how the problems of conservation and civil society are global in their origins and nature and have to be understood through a multitude of sites.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its analysis of civil society, local movements and non-governmental organisations. At a time when much hope and expectation is vested in democratisation and local empowerment this work is a sanguine wake-up call to the problems that these notions bring with them. It quite clearly demonstrates how these ideas are manipulated by local actors, often with very different agendas from global organisations, and transformed by the perpetuated dysfunction typical of the institutions implementing of global development and conservation ideals.

I would, therefore, recommend this book to students, conservationists and development workers in all situations. Its language and style are accessible to all. Its questions and challenges will inform expert practitioners, university teachers and PhD students. This is an excellent book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. National parks and reserves   2. Social aspects   3. Nature conservation   4. Indigenous peoples   5. Ecology   6. Sociology - General   7. Nature / Field Guide Books   8. Nature   9. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General   10. Social Science   

Subjects:  1. Jewellery & jewellery-making   2. Art of indigenous peoples   3. Africa   4. ASIA   5. Oceania   

Subjects:  1. Yoruba (African people)   2. Intellectual life   3. History   4. Philosophy, Yoruba   5. Intellectuals   6. Intellectual History   7. West Africa - History   8. History - General History   9. Africa - General   10. Anthropology - Cultural   11. Africa - Central - Nigeria   12. Social Science   

Subjects:  1. Conservation of wildlife & habitats   2. Conservation of the environment   3. The Environment   

Subjects:  1. Ethnology   2. Africa, West   3. Juvenile literature   4. Indigenous peoples   5. Social life and customs   6. History - General History   7. History   8. Africa - General   9. Ethnic Studies - General   10. Social Studies - Sociology   11. Juvenile Nonfiction   

Subjects:  1. Indigenous peoples   2. Anthropology   3. Feminism   4. Africa   

Subjects:  1. Current Affairs   2. South Africa   3. Politics and government   4. 20th century   5. Indigenous peoples   6. Race relations   7. Contemporary Politics - Africa   8. Apartheid   9. History - General History   10. History   11. Africa - South - South Africa   12. Discrimination & Racism   13. Government - Comparative   

Subjects:  1. Art of indigenous peoples   2. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   3. Africa   

Subjects:  1. Art of indigenous peoples   2. Africa   

Subjects:  1. Poverty   2. Ethiopia   3. Indigenous peoples   4. Economic conditions   5. Development Studies (Social Sciences)   6. Sociology   7. Political Science   8. Development - Economic Development   9. Social Science   

Subjects:  1. South Africa   2. Race relations   3. Indigenous peoples   4. Working class   

Subjects:  1. Educational sociology   2. Tanzania   3. Chaga (African people)   4. Education   5. Africa   6. Sociology Of Education   7. Education In Developing Countries   8. Education / Teaching   9. Non-Formal Education   10. Comparative   11. General   

Subjects:  1. Blacks   2. South Africa   3. Politics and government   4. Indigenous peoples   

Subjects:  1. Indigenous peoples   2. South Africa   3. Land tenure   4. Law and legislation   5. History   6. History - General History   7. Africa - South - South Africa   

Subjects:  1. Indigenous peoples   2. South Africa   3. Transvaal   4. Miners   5. Contract labor   6. History - General History   7. History   8. Africa - General   9. Labor & Industrial Relations - General   

Subjects:  1. Indigenous peoples   2. South Africa   3. Land tenure   4. Law and legislation   5. History