Human-Animal Interactions in Anthropocene Asia

This book examines the theme of human–animal interactions contextualized against the idea of the Anthropocene. Focused on China and its immediate Asian borderlands, this interdisciplinary collection provides a powerful and insightful analysis of the ecological challenges that mankind’s traditional activities have created. Through in-depth case studies, each focusing on a particular human–animal dynamic, the book contextualizes and advances the understanding of existing environmental and ecological problems faced by local communities in Asia. In particular, the book hopes to transcend the duality of the nature versus culture debate by locating animal-ecological problems in the behavior of human institutions, beliefs, and practices, which are often affected by prevailing cultural proclivities, political ideologies, economic interests, and scientific agendas. Through interrogation of theoretical concepts of Anthropocene and human–animal binary, the volume highlights the controversial debates that follow their usage as well as their empirical utility understanding human– animal interactions historically, thereby engaging a broader interdisciplinary conversation increasingly links these two fields together. Providing a platform for discussion and dialogue for a wide audience, this book will appeal to students and scholars of environmental history and politics, anthropology, political science and policy studies, China studies, and Asian studies more generally.

1. Human-Animal Interactions in Anthropocene Asia: Culture, Development and the PoliticsVictor Teo2. "Rearing the Rare": History, Co–existence and Contestation of Wildlife Conservation in the Singalila National Park, Darjeeling, IndiaSangay Tamang3. A Mongolian Muzzle in the Chinese Grasslands: The Shifting Uses of the Camel in Nomadic Pastoralism and FestivitiesAurore Dumont4. Reindeer, Taiga, Ethnic Culture: State-Forced Resettlement and the Changing Human-Animal Interactions in the Aoluguya Ewenki CommunityHang Lin5. Yak Dzongs in Sikkim Himalayas: Spaces of Conflict in the MakingBhim Subba6. Turtles Amid Healing and Extinction: International Relations and Question of Animal Agency in the South China Sea DisputesCarmina Yu Untalan7. From Colonial Science to the Genome age: The Politics of Asian Giant Salamander ConservationLisa Yoshikawa8. The Destiny of China’s Honeybees in the AnthropoceneKeokam Kraisoraphong9. Human-wildlife interface and socio-cultural ecology of zoonotic Outbreaks in Anthropocene ChinaYoon Sungwon10. Tiger Parks in Anthropocene China: Culture, Capitalism and the Limits of ConservationVictor Teo

Victor Teo is a political scientist specializing in the International Relations of the Indo-Pacific. He was most recently The Cold War Visiting Research Fellow at CRASSH, University of Cambridge, UK; and Wang Gungwu Visiting Senior Research Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore.