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Global Environmental History: 10,000 BC to AD 2000
The global environment has been in a state of change since the height of the last glacial maximum of the Pleistocene. Examining this state of flux of both the natural environment and the living organisms that inhabit it, I. G. Simmons’s Global Environmental History ranges from 10,000 BCE to the modern day to present an incredibly rich and deep time overview of how we have come to our current state of ecological crisis.
A far-reaching approach that considers the truly global picture and recognizes the contributions of many disciplines—including the natural sciences, the social sciences, and increasingly, the humanities—Global Environmental History focuses not only on the material world but also on humans’ ideas about the planet and their place on it. Taking as his starting point the major phases of human technological evolution of the last 12,000 years, Simmons considers how these changes have affected the natural world and goes on to assess the response to conditions such as climate change. By putting today’s environmental preoccupations into a long-term perspective, Simmons reveals the history of some current anxieties.
A timely examination of the interrelation of history and nature, Simmons’s book will be welcomed by any concerned reader interested in the origins of the modern environmental crisis.
A far-reaching approach that considers the truly global picture and recognizes the contributions of many disciplines—including the natural sciences, the social sciences, and increasingly, the humanities—Global Environmental History focuses not only on the material world but also on humans’ ideas about the planet and their place on it. Taking as his starting point the major phases of human technological evolution of the last 12,000 years, Simmons considers how these changes have affected the natural world and goes on to assess the response to conditions such as climate change. By putting today’s environmental preoccupations into a long-term perspective, Simmons reveals the history of some current anxieties.
A timely examination of the interrelation of history and nature, Simmons’s book will be welcomed by any concerned reader interested in the origins of the modern environmental crisis.
271 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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About the author
I.G. Simmons
19 books3 followersIan Gordon Simmons (born 22 January 1937) is a British geographer. He retired as Professor of Geography from the University of Durham in 2001. He has made significant contributions to environmental history and prehistoric archeology.
Background
Simmons grew up in East London and then East Lincolnshire until the age of 12. He studied physical geography (BSc) and holds a PhD from the University of London (early 1960s) on the vegetation history of Dartmoor.[1] He began university lecturing in his early 20s and was Lecturer and then Reader in Geography at the University of Durham from 1962–1977, then Professor of Geography at the University of Bristol from 1977-1981 before returning to a Chair in Geography at Durham, where he worked until retiring in 2001.
In 1972-73, he taught biogeography for a year at York University, Canada and has held other appointments including Visiting Scholar, St. Johns College, University of Oxford in the 1990s.
Scholarship
His research includes the study of the later Mesolithic and early Neolithic in their environmental setting on English uplands, where he has demonstrated the role of these early human communities in initiating some of Britain's characteristic landscape elements. His work also encompasses the long-term effects of human manipulation of the natural environment and its consequences for resource use and environmental change.
Simmons has authored several books on environmental thought and culture over the ages, and contemporary resource management and environmental justice problems.
Honours
Fellow of the British Academy elected in 1997 for research into human environmental relations, past and future.
FSA Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Victoria Medal, Royal Geographical Society 1997
Chairman of the Environmental Working Group of the Institute of British Geographers
Member of the Academia Europaea 1994
Honorary D.Sc., awarded by the University of Aberdeen, 2005
In 2008, it was reported[2] that Jia Jin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was working on a PhD thesis entitled “On Ian Simmons’ Environmental History Study: Contents, Methodology and Enlightenments” in the Department of World History.
Key publications[edit]
Simmons IG, KJ Gregory, A Brazel, J W Day, EA Keller. 2008. Environmental Sciences: A Student's Companion. Sage Publications.
Simmons, I.G. 2008. Global Environmental History: 10,000 BC to AD 2000. Chicago : University of Chicago Press and Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG. 2003. The moorlands of England and Wales: an environmental history 8000 BC to AD 2000. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG 2001 An Environmental History of Great Britain: from 10,000 Years Ago to the Present. Edinburgh University Press.
Atkins P, I. G. Simmons, B. Roberts. 1998. People, Land and Time: An Historical Introduction to the Relations Between Landscape, Culture and Environment. Arnold. ISBN 0340236590
Simmons I.G. 1997. Humanity & Environment: a cultural ecology. Longman. 0582225477
Simmons, I.G. 1996. The environmental impact of later Mesolithic cultures: the creation of moorland landscape in England and Wales. Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons, I.G. 1996. Changing the Face of the Earth: Culture, Environment, History. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0631199241
Simmons I.G. 1993. Environmental History. A concise introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.
Simmons, I.G. 1993. Interpreting nature : cultural constructions of the environment. London: Routledge.
Simmons I.G. 1991. Earth, air and water : resources and environment in the late 20th century. London: Edward Arnold.
Simmons I.G. 1982. Biogeographical processes. London : Allen & Unwin.
Simmons I.G., M. Tooley (eds.) 1981. The Environment in British Prehistory. Duckworth.
Simmons I.G. 1979. Biogeography: natural & cultural. London: Edward Arnold
Simmons I.G. 1975. Rural recreation in the industrial world. London: Edward Arnold,
Simmons I.G. 1974, 1981. The ecology of natural resources. Lo
Background
Simmons grew up in East London and then East Lincolnshire until the age of 12. He studied physical geography (BSc) and holds a PhD from the University of London (early 1960s) on the vegetation history of Dartmoor.[1] He began university lecturing in his early 20s and was Lecturer and then Reader in Geography at the University of Durham from 1962–1977, then Professor of Geography at the University of Bristol from 1977-1981 before returning to a Chair in Geography at Durham, where he worked until retiring in 2001.
In 1972-73, he taught biogeography for a year at York University, Canada and has held other appointments including Visiting Scholar, St. Johns College, University of Oxford in the 1990s.
Scholarship
His research includes the study of the later Mesolithic and early Neolithic in their environmental setting on English uplands, where he has demonstrated the role of these early human communities in initiating some of Britain's characteristic landscape elements. His work also encompasses the long-term effects of human manipulation of the natural environment and its consequences for resource use and environmental change.
Simmons has authored several books on environmental thought and culture over the ages, and contemporary resource management and environmental justice problems.
Honours
Fellow of the British Academy elected in 1997 for research into human environmental relations, past and future.
FSA Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Victoria Medal, Royal Geographical Society 1997
Chairman of the Environmental Working Group of the Institute of British Geographers
Member of the Academia Europaea 1994
Honorary D.Sc., awarded by the University of Aberdeen, 2005
In 2008, it was reported[2] that Jia Jin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was working on a PhD thesis entitled “On Ian Simmons’ Environmental History Study: Contents, Methodology and Enlightenments” in the Department of World History.
Key publications[edit]
Simmons IG, KJ Gregory, A Brazel, J W Day, EA Keller. 2008. Environmental Sciences: A Student's Companion. Sage Publications.
Simmons, I.G. 2008. Global Environmental History: 10,000 BC to AD 2000. Chicago : University of Chicago Press and Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG. 2003. The moorlands of England and Wales: an environmental history 8000 BC to AD 2000. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG 2001 An Environmental History of Great Britain: from 10,000 Years Ago to the Present. Edinburgh University Press.
Atkins P, I. G. Simmons, B. Roberts. 1998. People, Land and Time: An Historical Introduction to the Relations Between Landscape, Culture and Environment. Arnold. ISBN 0340236590
Simmons I.G. 1997. Humanity & Environment: a cultural ecology. Longman. 0582225477
Simmons, I.G. 1996. The environmental impact of later Mesolithic cultures: the creation of moorland landscape in England and Wales. Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons, I.G. 1996. Changing the Face of the Earth: Culture, Environment, History. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0631199241
Simmons I.G. 1993. Environmental History. A concise introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.
Simmons, I.G. 1993. Interpreting nature : cultural constructions of the environment. London: Routledge.
Simmons I.G. 1991. Earth, air and water : resources and environment in the late 20th century. London: Edward Arnold.
Simmons I.G. 1982. Biogeographical processes. London : Allen & Unwin.
Simmons I.G., M. Tooley (eds.) 1981. The Environment in British Prehistory. Duckworth.
Simmons I.G. 1979. Biogeography: natural & cultural. London: Edward Arnold
Simmons I.G. 1975. Rural recreation in the industrial world. London: Edward Arnold,
Simmons I.G. 1974, 1981. The ecology of natural resources. Lo
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 24, 2015
The low rating is not due to any ideological stand-off, but due to the completely haphazard presentation. Not even an attempt at any chronological discussion. Mostly a series of short essays that vaguely treats of human impacts on the environment within a very broad time frame, interspersed with authorial commentary on why the issue is worth looking at... Also, much of it is on how the environment was modified at varying speeds and fashions as we trace human "progress". Hardly any space is devoted to the effect of environment on human history, or on changing perceptions about the environment -- and since that is what I wanted from the book, doubly disappointing.
Displaying 1 of 1 review