Urban environments in Africa: A Critical Analysis of Environmental Politics - Softcover

Myers, Garth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1447322924 ISBN 13: 9781447322924

Publisher: Policy Press, 2016

Synopsis

Africa s urban population is growing rapidly, raising numerous environmental concerns. Urban areas are often linked to poverty as well as power and wealth, and hazardous and unhealthy environments as the pace of change stretches local resources. Yet there are a wide range of perspectives and possibilities for political analysis of these rapidly changing environments. Written by a widely respected author, this important book will mark a major new step forward in the study of Africa s urban environments. Using innovative research including fieldwork data, map analysis, place-name study, interviewing and fiction, the book explores environmentalism from a variety of perspectives, acknowledging the clash between Western planning mind-sets pursuing the goal of sustainable development, and the lived realities of residents of often poor, informal settlements. The book will be valuable to advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses in geography, urban studies, development studies, environmental studies and African studies.

About this title

Review:

"This book is a tour de force. Myers correctly points out that the recent outpouring of urban studies literature in urban Africa has devoted only limited attention to environmental themes. The book opens up an entirely new terrain of scholarly research on urban Africa. It fills a variety of huge gaps in the existing literature. First, it will put environmentalism directly in the glare of scholarly intervention; second, it explores environmentalism from a variety of perspectives rather than a single privileged (or 'true') one; and third, it encourages us to look at cities in Africa from the perspective of the material realities on the ground rather than stereotyped images."--Martin Murray, University of Michigan

"Myers's belief is that moving away from absolutes and dramatic swings is more in tune with the complexity of these spaces, where little-by-little change can add up to a great deal."--Environment & Urbanization

About the Author:

Garth Myers is the Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of Urban International Studies at Trinity College, Hartford, CT. He is director of the urban studies program and a member of the international studies program. He is the author of three other books on urban Africa and co-editor for two other volumes; he has published more than sixty articles and book chapters as well.

About this edition

• Publisher: Policy Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1447322924
• ISBN 13: 9781447322924
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 228