Book•
Rivers of Empire: Water, Aridity, and the Growth of the American West
01 Jan 1985-
TL;DR: Worrster examines the development history of the American West, identifying the elite of technology and wealth who have controlled its most essential resource: water as discussed by the authors, and identifies the elite who controlled water.
Abstract: Donald Worster examines the development history of the American West, identifying the elite of technology and wealth who have controlled its most essential resource: water.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: A remarkable network of centuries-long annual tree-ring chronologies has now allowed for the reconstruction of past drought over North America covering the past 1000 or more years in most regions as mentioned in this paper.
765 citations
TL;DR: The hydrosocial cycle as mentioned in this paper is based on the concept of the hydrologic cycle, but modifies it in important ways, such as separating water from its social context, and deliberately attending to water's social and political nature.
670 citations
TL;DR: A review of the emergence of the new ecology and the highlighting of contrasts with earlier “balance of nature” perspectives is presented in this paper, with a focus on nonequilibrium dynamics, spatial and temporal variation, complexity, and uncertainty.
Abstract: ▪ Abstract This review asks the question: What new avenues of social science enquiry are suggested by new ecological thinking, with its focus on nonequilibrium dynamics, spatial and temporal variation, complexity, and uncertainty? Following a review of the emergence of the “new ecology” and the highlighting of contrasts with earlier “balance of nature” perspectives, work emerging from ecological anthropology, political ecology, environmental and ecological economics, and debates about nature and culture are examined. With some important exceptions, much social science work and associated popular and policy debates remain firmly wedded to a static and equilibrial view. This review turns to three areas where a more dynamic perspective has emerged. Each has the potential to take central elements of new ecological thinking seriously, sometimes with major practical consequences for planning, intervention design, and management. First is the concern with spatial and temporal dynamics developed in detailed and s...
645 citations
TL;DR: A growing body of work has emerged on the politicaleconomy and political-ecology of water and water circulation as discussed by the authors, which is re-defining the contours of water resources research and opening up an exciting and vitally important research agenda for the years to come.
Abstract: Geographers have been engaged in research into access to safe drinking water for years. In fact, Abel Wolman helped chlorinate the world’s water. Over the past few years and in the wake of the resurgence of the environmental question on the political agenda, a growing body of work has emerged on the political-economy and political-ecology of water and water circulation (Gandy 1997, Loftus 2005, Kaika 2005, Castro 2006). This is re-defining the contours of water resources research and opening up an exciting and vitally important research agenda for the years to come. Political-ecological perspectives on water suggest a close correlation between the transformations of, and in, the hydrological cycle at local, regional and global levels on the one hand and relations of social, political, economic, and cultural power on the other (Swyngedouw 2004). In a sustained attempt to transcend the modernist nature – society binaries, hydro-social research envisions the circulation of water as a combined physical and social process, as a hybridized socionatural flow that fuses together nature and society in inseparable manners (Swyngedouw 2006a). It calls for revisiting traditional fragmented and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of water by insisting on the inseparability of the social and the physical in the production of particular hydrosocial configurations (Bakker 2003, Heynen et al. 2005). Such a perspective opens all manner of new and key research issues and urges considering a transformation in the way in which water policies are thought about, formulated, and implemented. In what follows, an outline is provided of some of the vital issues and socio-natural properties of the hydro-social cycle and charts the terrain for future research.
499 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In many places projects have been challenged on the basis of their economic, social or environmental impacts as discussed by the authors, either internally (within the state bureaucracies or through political changes) and externally (by critiques from civil society and academia, or by reduced funding).
Abstract: Anchored in 19th century scientism and an ideology of the domination of nature, inspired by colonial hydraulic feats, and fuelled by technological improvements in high dam constructions and power generation and transmission, large-scale water resources development has been a defining feature of the 20th century. Whether out of a need to increase food production, raise rural incomes, or strengthen state building and the legitimacy of the state, governments – North and South, East and West – embraced the 'hydraulic mission' and entrusted it to powerful state water bureaucracies (hydrocracies). Engaged in the pursuit of iconic and symbolic projects, the massive damming of river systems, and the expansion of large-scale public irrigation these hydrocracies have long remained out of reach. While they have enormously contributed to actual welfare, including energy and food generation, flood protection and water supply to urban areas, infrastructural development has often become an end in itself, rather than a means to an end, fuelling rent-seeking and symbolising state power. In many places projects have been challenged on the basis of their economic, social or environmental impacts. Water bureaucracies have been challenged internally (within the state bureaucracies or through political changes) and externally (by critiques from civil society and academia, or by reduced funding). They have endeavoured to respond to these challenges by reinventing themselves or deflecting reforms. This paper analyses these transformations, from the emergence of the hydraulic mission and associated water bureaucracies to their adjustment and responses to changing conditions.
380 citations