Critical Political Ecology

Tim Forsyth is a lecturer in Environment and Development at the London School of Economics

Critical Political Ecology brings political debate to the science of ecology. As political controversies multiply over the science underlying environmental debates, there is an increasing need to understand the relationship between environmental science and politics. In this timely and wide-ranging volume, Tim Forsyth uses an innovative approach to apply political analysis to ecology, and demonstrates how more politicised approaches to science can be used in environmental decision-making. Critical Political Ecology examines: *how social and political factors frame environmental science, and how science in turn shapes politics*how new thinking in philosophy and sociology of science can provide fresh insights into the biophysical causes and impacts of environmental problems*how policy and decision-makers can acknowledge the political influences on science and achieve more effective public participation and governance.

1. Political ecology and the politics of environmental science 2. Environmental science and myths 3. Environmental 'laws' and generalizations 4. Social framings of environmental science 5. The co-production of environmental science and political activism 6. Enforcing and contesting boundaries: Boundary organizations and social movements 7. The globalization of environmental risk 8. Democratizing environmental explanations 9. Democratizing environmental science and networks 10. Conclusion: 'Critical' Political ecology and environmental science