Global Life Systems: Population, Food, and Disease in the Process of Globalization

by Robert P. Clark

Overview

"Humans did not begin as a global species; we had to expand to become one. And we could not have done so without other living organisms becoming global along with us."

Robert P. Clark develops in this book a global life systems perspective that delineates how biological forces mutually reinforce one another—and what their globalization has meant for both human society and the biosphere. While he resists biological "determinism," Clark traces interconnected developments among population, disease, agriculture, trade, fuels, and other life systems to more thoroughly explore and elucidate the globalization of human endeavors within an ever evolving context of nature and environment. His lucid and richly documented book offers a fresh look at social evolution and a broader basis for understanding the contemporary context for global change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742500754
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/22/2001
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Robert P. Clark is professor of government at George Mason University.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Global Life Systems
Chapter 2 Life Systems and Globalization
Chapter 3 Population
Chapter 4 Food
Chapter 5 Disease
Part 6 Case Studies
Chapter 7 Agriculture Comes to Europe
Chapter 8 The Biology of the Silk Road
Chapter 9 The Biological Impact of Europeans on Eastern North America, 1600-1800
Chapter 10 Feeding Industrial Cities
Part 11 Consequences
Chapter 12 Global Food Networks in the Information Age
Chapter 13 Emerging (and Re-emerging) Infectious Diseases
Chapter 14 The Loss of Biodiversity
Chapter 15 Where Do We Go from Here?: Biological Dimensions of Interplanetary and Interstellar Migration

Editorial Reviews

This is a well-organized book, clearly argued, and the writing is accessible. The central story line is leavened with interesting examples and anecdotes to light and lighten the path.

Population Studies: A Journal of Demography

In this important new book, Robert Clark shows that globalization is not a process that began twenty or even five hundred years ago, but rather has roots that are to be found thousands of years back into the human past. Moreover, it has been not just an economic process but a biological and demographic one as well. Those who wish to understand the current process of globalization in its proper historical context will do well to read this book....

Stephen K. Sanderson

This is a well-organized book, clearly argued, and the writing is accessible. The central story line is leavened with interesting examples and anecdotes to light and lighten the path.

Population Studies: A Journal of Demography

This is a well-organized book, clearly argued, and the writing is accessible. The central story line is leavened with interesting examples and anecdotes to light and lighten the path.

Population Studies

Clark (government, George Mason University) develops a global life systems perspective that delineates how biological forces mutually reinforce one another, and what their globalization has meant for both human society and the biosphere. Resisting biological determinism, he traces interconnected developments among population, disease, agriculture, trade, fuels, and other life systems to explore the globalization of human endeavors within an evolving context of nature and environment. He examines case studies of the biology of the Silk Road, the biological impact of Europeans on eastern North America between 1600 and 1800, and feeding industrial cities. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews