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Winner of the 2017 Paul Sweezy Marxist Sociology Book Award from
the American Sociological Association Although humans have long
depended on oceans and aquatic ecosystems for sustenance and trade,
only recently has human influence on these resources dramatically
increased, transforming and undermining oceanic environments
throughout the world. Marine ecosystems are in a crisis that is
global in scope, rapid in pace, and colossal in scale. In The
Tragedy of the Commodity, sociologists Stefano B. Longo, Rebecca
Clausen, and Brett Clark explore the role human influence plays in
this crisis, highlighting the social and economic forces that are
at the heart of this looming ecological problem. In a
critique of the classic theory “the tragedy of the commons” by
ecologist Garrett Hardin, the authors move beyond simplistic
explanations—such as unrestrained self-interest or population
growth—to argue that it is the commodification of aquatic
resources that leads to the depletion of fisheries and the
development of environmentally suspect means of aquaculture. To
illustrate this argument, the book features two fascinating case
studies—the thousand-year history of the bluefin tuna fishery in
the Mediterranean and the massive Pacific salmon fishery. Longo,
Clausen, and Clark describe how new fishing technologies,
transformations in ships and storage capacities, and the expansion
of seafood markets combined to alter radically and permanently
these crucial ecosystems. In doing so, the authors underscore how
the particular organization of social production contributes to
ecological degradation and an increase in the pressures placed upon
the ocean. The authors highlight the historical, political,
economic, and cultural forces that shape how we interact with the
larger biophysical world. A path-breaking analysis of
overfishing, The Tragedy of the Commodity yields insight into
issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and
climate change.Â
Although humans have long depended on oceans and aquatic ecosystems
for sustenance and trade, only recently has human influence on
these resources dramatically increased, transforming and
undermining oceanic environments throughout the world. Marine
ecosystems are in a crisis that is global in scope, rapid in pace,
and colossal in scale. In The Tragedy of the Commodity,
sociologists Stefano B. Longo, Rebecca Clausen, and Brett Clark
explore the role human influence plays in this crisis, highlighting
the social and economic forces that are at the heart of this
looming ecological problem. In a critique of the classic theory
"the tragedy of the commons"" by ecologist Garrett Hardin, the
authors move beyond simplistic explanations - such as unrestrained
self-interest or population growth - to argue that it is the
commodification of aquatic resources that leads to the depletion of
fisheries and the development of environmentally suspect means of
aquaculture. To illustrate this argument, the book features two
fascinating case studies - the thousand-year history of the bluefin
tuna fishery in the Mediterranean and the massive Pacific salmon
fishery. Longo, Clausen, and Clark describe how new fishing
technologies, transformations in ships and storage capacities, and
the expansion of seafood markets combined to alter radically and
permanently these crucial ecosystems. In doing so, the authors
underscore how the particular organization of social production
contributes to ecological degradation and an increase in the
pressures placed upon the ocean. The authors highlight the
historical, political, economic, and cultural forces that shape how
we interact with the larger biophysical world. A path-breaking
analysis of overfishing, The Tragedy of the Commodity yields
insight into issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss,
pollution, and climate change.
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