Synopsis
Prompted by growing concern about the environmental impact of high consumption levels and population growth, these interdisciplinary essays explore in depth the connections between population size and growth, environmental destruction, and poverty. The contributors-including such distinguished scholars as P. Dasgupta, C. S. Holling, Robert Fogel, Geoffrey McNicoll, Caroline Bledsoe, Robert Willis, Amartya Sen, and Nancy Birdsall-represent the different fields most concerned with this vital topic. They examine three main themes: the Malthusian conflict, factors underlying fertility changes, and global development issues. The writers take into account the effects of increasing competition for natural resources on social structures, and look at the evolution of the household unit, gender inequality, and the growing gap between children, adults, and the elderly. Because the rapidly increasing stress on the world's natural resource base can give rise to social tension and conflicts, especially in overpopulated areas, this book will be seen as an essential contribution to a critically important international debate.
Review
This book provides valuable insight into the topics covered, benefits from contributions from several disciplines and will be of general interest to most individuals interested in processes of social and economic development and their environmental impacts. (Clement A. Tisdell, Jnl of Development Studies, Vol.35, No.4, Apr.99.)
can be warmly commended for its attempt to examine root causes. Too many books on population, environment or development concentrate on symptoms rather than causes. This book explores in-depth why individuals do things that militate against their own long-term needs, and those of everyone else ... read this readable book. (Norman Myers, Times Higher Education Supplement)
The contributions are, as befits such pieces, tried and true ... the main body of this book contains a series of strong essays - not a bad one to be found - aimed at the non-Mandarin ... The volume would make an excellent reader at either the advanced undergraduate level or graduate level, or for a researcher who just wants to become informed about various aspects of population, economy, and environment. (Population and Development Review)
The contributions to this book provide many insights into different aspects of the population-development-environment issue. (Population Studies)
...the book is still valuable. - Professor R H Cassen. Population Studies.
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