The Age of Ecology

This book is the first major study of the history of environmentalism, from its origins in romanticism and the nature cults of the late 18th century to the global environmental movements of today. Radkau shows that this is not a single story of the steady ascent of environmentalism but rather a multiplicity of stories, each with its own dramatic tension: between single-issue movements and the challenges posed by the interconnection of environmental issues, between charismatic leaders and bureaucratic organizations, and between grassroot movements and global players. While the history can be traced back several centuries, environmentalism has flourished since the environmental revolution of 1970, spurred on by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 and the growing concern about global warming. While environmentalists often opposed the scientific mainstream, they were also often led by scientific knowledge. Environmentalism is the true Enlightenment of our time so much so that we can call our era the age of ecology . This timely and comprehensive global history of environmentalism will be essential reading for anyone concerned with the most pressing global issues of our time.

This book is the first major study of the history ofenvironmentalism, from its origins in romanticism and the naturecults of the late 18th century to the global environmentalmovements of today.Radkau shows that this is not a single story of the steady ascentof environmentalism but rather a multiplicity of stories, each withits own dramatic tension: between single-issue movements and thechallenges posed by the interconnection of environmental issuesbetween charismatic leaders and bureaucratic organizations, andbetween grassroot movements and global players. While the historycan be traced back several centuries, environmentalism hasflourished since the 'environmental revolution' of1970, spurred on by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 and thegrowing concern about global warming. While environmentalists oftenopposed the scientific mainstream, they were also often led byscientific knowledge. Environmentalism is the true Enlightenment ofour time D so much so that we can call our era 'the ageof ecology'.This timely and comprehensive global history of environmentalismwill be essential reading for anyone concerned with the mostpressing global issues of our time.

Preface to the English Edition viiAcknowledgements xivIntroduction: The Green Chameleon 1One Environmentalism before the Environmental Movement111 Good Mother Nature and the 'Appalling WoodShortage': The Twin Face of Nature in the Decline of theCommons 112 Nature in Need of Protection and Nature as Healing Power:Environmental Activism in the 'Nervous Age' 243 'The Desert Threatens': Environmental Fears in theAge of Crisis - the New Deal and Nazi Germany 464 Think Big! A Charismatic Intermezzo on the Olympian Heights61Two The Great Chain Reaction: The 'EcologicalRevolution' in and around 1970 79Three Networked Thinking and Practical Priorities: An EndlessInterplay 1141 On the Ecology of Ecologism 1212 Water and the Atom 1373 Changing Priorities: The Movement in Motion 162Four Charismatics and Ecocrats 1821 Spiritual Quest and Charismatic Moments 1822 Ten Heroines Embodying Tensions in the Movement 2013 Institutionalization, Routinization, Revitalization 237Five A Friend-Enemy or Win-Win Scenario? 2591 From Nuclear Power to the Spotted Owl 2592 Violence and the Green Conscience 2883 Ecology and Economics: The Challenge of Conceptual Analogy320Six Ecology and the Historic Turn of 1990: From SocialJustice to Climate Justice? 339Conclusion: The Dialectic of Green Enlightenment 425Notes 432Index 517