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Imperialism and Environment

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The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism

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Synonyms

Ecological imperialism; Imperial ecology

Definition/Description

What is the relationship between imperialism and the global environment? This entry examines this question through the gaze of Global Ecological Political Economy (GEPE) and argues that imperialism must be understood as an ecological phenomenon, in the sense that the expression of power, dominance, and oppression inevitably (re)produces systemic environmental consequences. Conversely, this entry adds to this formulation an important corollary: global environmental change and responses to it are in turn enmeshed with the forces of imperialism and often exacerbate unjust social relations and power imbalances across and between societies and states.

Introduction

In his masterpiece work, The Open Veins of Latin America (1973), Eduardo Galeano recounts five centuries of European imperialism in the Southern continent. His historical narrative weaves through the plunder of Latin America’s natural resources – from gold...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Ryan M. Katz-Rosene

  2. Politics, School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Matthew Paterson

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  1. Ryan M. Katz-Rosene
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  2. Matthew Paterson
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Correspondence to Ryan M. Katz-Rosene .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Center for Worker Education, Brooklyn College, New York, NY, USA

    Immanuel Ness

  2. Independent Scholar, Belfast, UK

    Zak Cope

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Katz-Rosene, R.M., Paterson, M. (2019). Imperialism and Environment. In: Ness, I., Cope, Z. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91206-6_129-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91206-6_129-2

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  1. Latest

    Imperialism and Environment
    Published:
    25 July 2019

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91206-6_129-2

  2. Original

    Imperialism and Environment
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    17 May 2019

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91206-6_129-1

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