Electronic Green Journal: Drawing the Sea Near

The case study captures the larger ideological problem—and subsequent shift—of environmental centered organizations. Their agendas have shifted from manufacturing distance between human activities and the natural ‘other’ that we are assumed to be apart from, to intentionally crafting nearness. In using a highly detailed case study to capture this shift, Claus fulfills an important need of environmental literature: turning the lens to conservation efforts.

How Japanese coastal residents and transnational conservationists collaborated to foster relationships between humans and sea lifeThe case study captures the larger ideological problem—and subsequent shift—of environmental centered organizations. Their agendas have shifted from manufacturing distance between human activities and the natural ‘other’ that we are assumed to be apart from, to intentionally crafting nearness. In using a highly detailed case study to capture this shift, Claus fulfills an important need of environmental literature: turning the lens to conservation efforts. Conservationists are rarely the subject of ethnographic injury, even though environme ntal-conservation NGOs are some of the largest in the world.

Throughout the book, Claus uses incredible detail to discuss the shift to a participation-integration conservation style in Japan. The premise of participatory conservation is that close encounters are the backbone of successful conservation efforts—not only in Okinawa, but potentially globally. Okinawa is an illustration, a case study effectively capturing broader transnational and NGO shifts in environmental activism.

Review at Electronic Green Journal.