Book re6iews 498
investment, where interruption of a project easily can lead to a withdrawal of investments.
Part IV deals with economic issues connected to trans-boundary water allocation. It takes a com-prehensive look at the positive as well as the negative sides of establishing water markets. It highlights the organisational problems in estab-lishing water rights, lack of sufficient infrastruc-ture for trading water, third-party economic effects and lack of an institutional structure. Dif-ferent models for water allocation between states are developed and examined using domestic as well as international examples.
In part V, an attempt is made to evaluate the potential contributions that economic analysis can have for the understanding of trans-boundary wa-ter co-operation. It states that the contribution of economists in the resolution of water disputes is to highlight the true costs of both action and inaction, which otherwise tend to be a result of predominantly political considerations. It con-cludes by stating that the economic analysis has to be adjusted to the realities of the political process in order to be applicable.
The main contribution of the book is that it highlights the specific economic mechanisms that can lead to an extended and sustainable co-opera-tion on trans-boundary water resources. It also points to important areas for continued research. The book is well structured and enhances our understanding of the economic aspects of water co-operation, which hitherto have been somewhat neglected in the debate.
Anders Jagerskog
Department of Water and En6ironmental Studies,
Uni6ersity of Linkoping,
Linkoping,
Sweden
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Sel7a Central:History,Economy and Land Use in
Peru7ian Amazonia, Fernando Santos-Granero and Frederica Barclay, translated by Elizabeth King, Smithsonian Institution Press, London and Wash-ington, 1998. ISBN 1-56098-761-8
If not a light read,Sel6a Centralis certainly an impressive one. Encompassing nearly 400 years of history, from Spanish conquest to modern Peru-vian politics, the reader is guided through the processes that have molded this region into its current form. Drawing from numerous and di-verse sources, Fernando Santos-Granero and Frederica Barclay create a comprehensive analysis of the history, ecology, anthropology, and sociol-ogy of the Selva Central region of Peru.
The book is separated into three sections: one on history, one on economy, and one on the integration of the indigenous people. Each section contains a number of chapters dealing with differ-ent aspects of the topic. Because it is highly organized, the book is an ideal reference. The first two sections are of the most interest to ecological economists.
Section one goes into depth about the long history of the region, detailing the economic and political evolution of the provinces. It documents the powerful role the Christian missions have played in the settling of the region, and the trans-fer of land and power from the indigenous peo-ples to Spanish and Andean settlers. This section also systematically shows the agricultural focus of the region shifting from a self-contained agrarian culture concentrated on food production, to a culture and economy inextricably bound to the production of coffee and fruit for the world mar-ket and the corporations that control the trade. This shift resulted in the current economic and ecological state of the region.
Book re6iews 499
effectively the pattern of ecological degradation. In this section, a grim picture is painted for Selva Central; the region is on an unsustainable path to economical and environmental disaster.
Of all the sections, the third holds the least interest for the ecological economist. However, it contains valuable information about the role of the indigenous people. Like many areas, the Selva Central had a large and diverse indigenous popu-lation when colonization began. This popupopu-lation was subsequently pushed to the bottom of the socio-economic hierarchy. Here, Barclay and San-tos-Granero examine how this process has af-fected land use and tenure of these indigenous people. Their role in the regional economy is also discussed in detail. In recent years, both violent and nonviolent attempts have been made to im-prove the situation of the indigenous people in the region. Insightfu1 analysis is presented of the important role these people play in the region and how they will influence all aspects of the area in the future. This chapter pointedly illustrates how integral indigenous people can be in regions like the Selva Central in their attempt to join the international community in a nondestructive way.
Sel6a Central’s greatest value comes in the overall story the book documents. The Selva Cen-tral region functions as a paradigm for similar areas all through Amazonia, the tropics, and the third world. As these areas strive to join the industrialized world, they begin the same process that the Selva Central region began centuries ago. As the need to generate capital invades a culture, the people of that culture begin to exploit the only resources they have. As in the Selva Central, these cultures turn to the land, using it in a way that
serves their current needs, but often neglecting long-term needs for sustainable modes of develop-ment The results are landscapes on the path to destruction, where the society is controlled by debt and foreign interests. This book meticulously walks the reader through this process, offering data, background and analysis along the way. Refreshingly, the authors were able to give insight into the situation without interjecting unsubstanti-ated opinions and biases. So often, books that attempt to deal with the topics in Selva Central lose their effectiveness because of these things. The only real weakness that I can find in this book is that, at times, it can be dry.
For ecological economists, this book is invalu-able. It represents an amazing accumulation of information on issues that are at the center of ecologically oriented economics. Santos-Granero and Barclay present this information in a way that is easy to understand and, perhaps more importantly, in a manner that is readily accessed for reference. The close attention to detail and the tenacity by which the, at times overwhelming but never spare, data were compiled is evident in the work. This, combined with the structure and anal-ysis, makes it not only an interesting read, but also a precious resource.
Zachary Kindinger
Geography Department,
Clark Uni6ersity,
Worcester, MA,
USA
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