Living Landscapes, Connected Communities: Culture, Environment, and Change Across Asia

Across Asia, people are coming to terms with the impacts of globalisation and its accompanying social, economic, and environmental transformations. This compelling study examines biocultural diversity – the ways different communities interact with their surroundings, drawing upon local knowledge, shared values, and cultural heritage as they negotiate change.

In an ambitious and pathbreaking regional research project, some of Asia’s leading public intellectuals visited five communities – Kali Code (Indonesia), Tasik Chini (Malaysia), Biwako (Japan), Batanes (The Philippines) and Khiriwong (Thailand) – in order to better understand local responses to contemporary challenges.

Through analytical essays, personal reflections, poetry, music and dance – and beautifully illustrated throughout by powerful images – Living Landscapes, Connected Communities encourages us to broaden our understandings of people’s changing relationship with nature to encompass essential elements of spirituality, identity, belonging, and wellbeing. With all their complexity and creativity, each of these communities has something meaningful to convey about the human–environment connection and the common threads linking people across the region. Taken together, these stories of resilience, perseverance, and collective action provide a timely and relevant counterpoint to fatalistic views of environmental degradation. Living Landscapes, Connected Communities will appeal to a broad audience – to everyone interested in the dynamic relations between society, culture, environment, and change in modern Asia.

Published by Areca Books
Paperback
2014
ISBN: 9789675719110