What environmental policies do to people, beyond what they do to the climate, forests, air, or water. Based on extensive fieldwork in Southeast Asia, this book vividly illustrates how the state exploits the most lucrative resources while local communities are left with what are deemed “communal resources.” Consequently, these local people, who are supposedly partners in conservation efforts, become adversaries of the state. The book offers a fresh perspective on fostering interdependency among communities and challenges the conventional wisdom in the Global North that excessively prioritizes technology as a solution to environmental problems.

Autorentext

Jin Sato is a professor of development studies at the Institute of Advanced Studies on Asia at the University of Tokyo.