An Ecological History of Modern China

"An intellectually adventurous, wide-ranging, and boldly integrative study."
– Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs

"A marvelously accessible instant classic [...] Can knowledge of modern China's ecological history point us to new ways of envisioning and managing worldwide climate change? The answer would seem to be yes. Harrell's book offers the hope that comes with a robust knowledge of ecological history."
– Katherine Swancutt, China Quarterly

"A wide-ranging, ambitious, deeply informed book of historical anthropology – an interdisciplinary exploration of the past that maintains a close eye on the present and the future as well [...] Harrell's writing is clear, colloquial, and even sometimes playful, which lightens what would otherwise be dense reading. With its many charts, diagrams, and footnotes, as well as extensive detail about all aspects of agriculture, water policy, urbanization, and industry in China since 1949, this is a terrific reference work as well as a book of historical narrative and analysis. The bilingual glossary of policies, terms, and slogans is its own reward for readers whose expertise lies outside of environmental politics in the People's Republic."
– Ruth Mostern, Journal of Chinese History

"The post-1949 period has cried out for a focused treatment. We now have it with this invaluable interpretation through environmental history."
– David A. Pietz, author of The Yellow River: The Problem of Water in Modern China

"A masterful overview of China's environmental processes from the twentieth century to the present that addresses topics central to the concerns of all scholars looking at China today."
– Peter C. Perdue, author of China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia

"Forget about those fashionable Xi-centered speculations: in order to understand China's real problems read Stevan Harrell's book. It deals with the fundamentals of national well-being."
– Vaclav Smil, author of How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going

"Stevan Harrell's ambitious An Ecological History of Modern China embodies the best of his trademark scholarship. The book displays a tour de force of deep knowledge of China, a wry sense of self-deprecating humor, and an insightful ability to use a few core concepts – disturbance and resilience; ecological, infrastructural, institutional and cultural buffers; and eco-developmentalism – to draw a balanced but 'jury is still out' portrait of a China that might, or might not, overcome its environmental crises."
– Judith Shapiro, author of China's Environmental Challenges

"The breadth of its coverage and its acute assessment of the trade-offs between economic development and ecological resilience make this book essential reading for anyone seeking to better understand China's environmental predicament."
– Micah S. Muscolino, author of The Ecology of War in China: Henan Province, the Yellow River, and Beyond, 1938–1950

"This landmark book not only supplies an excellent synthesis of environmental and ecological studies of modern China up to date but also models an interdisciplinary approach to studying ecological history by integrating ecological theory, social scientific inquiries, and deep concerns of humanities. This book should be read by everyone who is worried about the ecological future of China and beyond."
– Ling Zhang, author of The River, the Plain, and the State: An Environmental Drama in Northern Song China, 1048–1128

"This landmark study provides an extremely detailed and thorough account of environmentalpolicies and their effects in the People's Republic of China over its seventy-four-year history. Stevan Harrell recognizes the enormous success of China in lifting the nation out of poverty and providing almost everyone with food, clothing, and shelter, but recognizes also the serious, and often unnecessary, environmental costs of doing so. The government has often adopted policies that promise to provide rapid growth in the short term, without considering environmental effects. This led to massive pollution, biodiversity loss that includes extinctions of major animals, and loss of farmland. The government has become increasingly aware of this problem over the last thirty years and has moved toward 'eco-development,' with considerable success. Dr. Harrell shows this success has been uneven: effective for air pollution, somewhat so in reforestation and energy, but so far unable to deal effectively with water problems, groundwater depletion, or biodiversity loss. This book is a major study with statistics and details on every environmental issue, from locations of plastic disposal to debates over big dams. The work will remain not only a vitally important resource for data and policy, but also a major summary of positions and debates, with the commentary of a uniquely qualified veteran of Chinese environment studies."
– Eugene N. Anderson, author of The East Asian World-System: Climate and Dynastic Change