Book: The Political Ecology of the State (10 March 2014)

The Political Ecology of the State

The Basis and the Evolution of Environmental Statehood

By Antonio Augusto Rossotto Ioris

Routledge – 2014 – 186 pages

Series: Routledge Studies in Political Ecology

Description:
The contemporary state is not only the main force behind environmental change, but the reactions to environmental problems have played a crucial role in the modernisation of the state apparatus, especially because of its mediatory role.
The Political Ecology of the State is the first book to critically assess the philosophical basis of environmental statehood and regulation, addressing the emergence and evolution of environmental regulation from the early twentieth century to the more recent phase of ecological modernisation and the neoliberalisation of nature. The state is understood as the result of permanent socionatural interactions and multiple forms of contestation, from a critical politico-ecological approach. This book examines the tension between pro- and anti-commons tendencies that have permeated the organisation and failures of the environmental responses put forward by the state. It provides a reinterpretation of the achievements and failures of mainstream environmental policies and regulation, and offers a review of the main philosophical influences behind different periods of environmental statehood and regulation. It sets out an agenda for going beyond conventional state regulation and grassroots dealings with the state, and as such redefines the environmental apparatus of the state.

Content:

Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview of the Book Chapter 2. The Reason and the Purpose of Environmental Statehood Chapter 3. Early and Conventional Environmental Statehood: Unpacking the Hobbesian Influence Chapter 4. Responding to Regulation Rigidity and Persisting Socioecological Problems: The Kantian Basis of the Transition Chapter 5. The Contingent Relation between Flexible Environmental Statehood and the Neoliberalisation of Socionature Chapter 6. Flexible Environmental Statehood as the Realisation (Actualisation) of the Hegelian State Chapter 7. What is Beyond Flexible Environmental Statehood and the Naïve Faith in the Eco-state?

Author Bio:

Antonio Augusto Rossotto Ioris is Lecturer in Environment and Society, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh. His main areas of research are related to the search for environmental justice in the urban and regional contexts, and the multiple obstacles faced by marginalised communities to influence environmental decision-making. He has extensive experience with policy-making and project management in the UK, Portugal, Brazil and Latin America.


Subjects:

1. Political Ecology
2. Political Geography
3. Environmental Politics
4. Environmental Geography
5. Environmental Anthropology

source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415722193/

Read More

Book: The Political Economy of City Branding (13 Feb 2014)

The Political Economy of City Branding

By Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko

Routledge – 2014 – 204 pages

Description:

Globalization affects urban communities in many ways. One of its manifestations is increased intercity competition, which compels cities to increase their attractiveness in terms of capital, entrepreneurship, information, expertise and consumption. This competition takes place in an asymmetric field, with cities trying to find the best possible ways of using their natural and created assets, the latter including a naturally evolving reputation or consciously developed competitive identity or brand.

The Political Economy of City Branding discusses this phenomenon from the perspective of numerous post-industrial cities in North America, Europe, East Asia and Australasia. Special attention is given to local economic development policy and industrial profiling, and global city rankings are used to provide empirical evidence for cities’ characteristics and positions in the global urban hierarchy. On top of this, social and urban challenges such as creative class struggle are also discussed.

The core message of the book is that cities should apply the tools of city branding in their industrial promotion and specialization, but at the same time take into account the special nature of their urban communities and be open and inclusive in their brand policies in order to ensure optimal results.

This book will be of interest to scholars and practitioners working in the areas of local economic development, urban planning, public management, and branding.

Content: 

1. Introduction 2. Challenges of Globalization 3. Global Urban Hierarchy and Asymmetry 4. Underlying Dynamics: City attraction hypothesis 5. Living in a Branded World 6. City Branding as a Strategic Tool 7. Economic Profiles of Post-Industrial Cities 8. From Win-Win Situation to Creative Class Struggle 9. New Paradigm for Urban Management 10. Conclusion

Author Bio:

Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko is Adjunct Professor in the School of Management at the University of Tampere, Finland. His research areas include local governance, global intercity competition, e-government, public sector innovations, and high-tech centre research.

source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415859455/

Read More