Natural Reasons: Ecological Marxist Studies

Author: (USA) James O'Connor
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-11-01
Features: "Whether it offers insights into the inherent logic of the Gulf War or elucidates the production relations embodied in the newly emerging forest, The Reason of Nature stands as an academic masterpiece. James O'Connor once again proves himself to be one of the most original social theorists in the United States." — Mike Davis "The ongoing dialogue between the environmental movement and the socialist movement is a welcome development, as it can greatly strengthen the power of both sides. James O'Connor has become one of the most influential academic figures in this dialogue field in the United States. His new work, with an engaging and profound methodology, reveals how these two movements have come together." — Donald Worster Since the Industrial Revolution, economic growth has been achieved at the immense cost of natural environments and the autonomy of human communities. What contributions can Marxist perspectives make in interpreting this puzzling legacy of economic growth and reducing its impact on future generations? Renowned social theorist James O'Connor reveals how politics, business rules, and government interact with environmental and social change. In analyzing the interrelationships between economy, nature, and society, O'Connor points out that environmental crises and social crises pose increasingly greater threats to capitalism itself. The insightful essays and case studies in this book fully demonstrate the capacity of ecological Marxism in understanding the diverse environmental and social histories of each of us. They also highlight the ability of ecological Marxism to provide a grounding for economic behavior from a real-world perspective and to articulate and evaluate new political strategies. James O'Connor, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Capitalism, Nature, Socialism (a journal of socialist ecology) and the director of the Political Ecology Research Center (located in Santa Cruz, California). He has retired from his position as a professor of sociology, economics, and environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz.