Przewalski's Horses in Eurasia draws on more than two years of ethnographic research to examine the reintroduction of Prezewalski's horses – a highly endangered breed that is a genetically distinct and distant relative of today's domesticated horses – into their native habitats across Eurasia. Zukosky explores how pluralism in species reintroduction provides insights into the experiences, relationships, and knowledge required for future international collaborations to better capture the complexity of both nature and society in scientific practice. Przewalski's Horses in Eurasia includes philosophical discussions of pluralism in narrative, ethnographic studies of biologists' observations of changing horse behavior from European captive conditions to release in the wild in Asia, and ethnographic accounts of local non-scientists' sentiments about the benefits and disadvantages of reintroduction in central Mongolia. Recommended for scholars of anthropology and biology.
Preface: Pluralism and the Reintroduction of Przewalski's Horses
Chapter 1 Horses and Ontological Pluralism
Chapter 2 Epistemologies in Monitoring Released Horses
Chapter 3 The Languages of Observation: The Case of Chinese Science
Chapter 4 Human Values and the Design of Wildlife Monitoring Systems
Chapter 5 Sentiments and Assessments of Reintroduction
Conclusion: Pluralism and Implications for Future Reintroductions
Michael L. Zukosky is associate professor of anthropology at Eastern Washington University.