Making Meaning Out of Mountains: The Political Ecology of Skiing - Softcover

Stoddart, Mark C.J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0774821973 ISBN 13: 9780774821971

Publisher: UBC Press, 2013

Synopsis

Mountains bear the imprint of human activity. Deep scars from logging and surface mining crosscut the landmarks of sports and recreation -- national parks and lookout areas, ski slopes and lodges. Although the environmental effects of extractive industries are well known, skiing is more likely to bring to mind images of luxury, wealth, and health. In Making Meaning out of Mountains, Mark Stoddart draws on interviews, field observations, and media analysis to explore how the ski industry in British Columbia has helped transform mountain environments and, in turn, how skiing has come to be inscribed with multiple, often conflicted meanings informed by power struggles rooted in race, class, and gender. Corporate leaders promote the skiing industry as sustainable development, while environmentalists and some First Nations argue that skiing sacrifices wildlife habitats and traditional lands to tourism and corporate gain. Skiers themselves appreciate the opportunity to commune with nature but are concerned about skiing's environmental effects. Stoddart not only challenges us to reflect more seriously on skiing's negative impact on mountain environments, he also reveals how certain groups came to be viewed as the "natural" inhabitants and legitimate managers of mountain environments.

About this title

Product Description:

Mountains bear the imprint of human activity. Scars from logging and surface mining sit alongside national parks and ski lodges. Although the environmental effects of extractive industries are well known, skiing is more likely to bring to mind images of luxury, wealth, and health. Drawing on interviews, field observations, and media analysis, Stoddart reveals the multiple, often conflicting meanings attached to skiing by skiers, mass media, First Nations, industry leaders, and environmentalists in British Columbia. Stoddart challenges us to reflect on skiing’s negative effects as he exposes how certain groups came to be viewed as the “natural” inhabitants and legitimate managers of mountain environments.

Review:

Stoddart provides an insightful examination of skiing from the perspective of ecopolitics...a unique study. Recommended. Source: CHOICE, Vol. 50 No. 03

About this edition

• Publisher: UBC Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0774821973
• ISBN 13: 9780774821971
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240