Lucy Jarosz discusses how a political ecology approach is necessary to understanding the meanings associated with deforestation, specifically how aspects of Euro-American ideology contributed to wider beliefs of deforestation, specifically in developing countries.[1] Jarosz defines two important concepts. Shifting cultivation is the practice of cultivating land, abandoning it after it has served its purpose to allow regeneration, and then temporarily working in another plot of land until the previous one is ready.[2] This method leads to land abandonment but was commonly practiced in colonial Madagascar. Neo-Malthusian is an idea that advocates for population control because it is believed to be the cause of poverty and environmental degradation.[3] Jarosz criticizes neo-Malthusian because it fails to consider overconsumption of the so-called global North.[4] By examining these concepts, Jarosz is able to further her research in the case of deforestation in relation to population growth and shifting cultivation in Madagascar.[5] She decides to focus on the colonial period. This decision was made because during this time, the state banned shifting-cultivation, population growth slowed and, yet deforestation increased. Further, the state changed the definition of shifting cultivation after the colonial period, which was interpreted differently by various groups.[6] These decisions are made intentionally because it is important, so she can explain the uniqueness of this specific historical instance. Jarosz takes her study further by examining the discourse of “rationality” around the peasant protests the ban of shifting cultivation so that fellow scholars can better understand the battle of environmental practices versus those of agrarian practices.[7] Jarosz discusses these terms by having an intellectual conversation with specific scholars who have already attempted to describe and understand these concepts. Jarosz’s discourse has opened up another part of the puzzle in regard to the continuation of deforestation. Forestry has different values to different groups of people. Her study on how the Malagasy people viewed the forests and depended on it is extremely vital for informing my research. It is important to consider the relationship between government and their people, how concepts are understood differently and how those meanings translate into practices.

[1] Lucy Jarosz. “Defining Deforestation in Madagascar,” in Liberation Ecologies: Environment, Development and Social Movements edited by Richard Peet and Michael Watts (London and New York: Routledge, 1996), 149-150

 

[2] Jarosz, “Defining Deforestation,” 150

[3] “Neo-Malthusian.” Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed November 22, 2017. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neo-Malthusian.

[4] Jarosz, “Defining Deforestation,” 151-152

[5] Jarosz, “Defining Deforestation,” 152

[6] Ibid

[7] Jarosz, “Defining Deforestation,” 153

 

 

 

Jarosz, Lucy. “Defining Deforestation in Madagascar,” in Liberation Ecologies: Environment, Development and Social Movements edited by Richard Peet and Michael Watts, 148-163. London and New York: Routledge, 1996.

“Neo-Malthusian.” Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed November 22, 2017. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neo-Malthusian.

Moving from large-N statistical analysis to small-n case studies and comparisons grants me the opportunity to discover other questions regarding environmental degradation and deforestation. My goal remains to explain the variation of deforested land. I can do this by examining laws, multilateral agreements (such as Reducing Emissions for Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)), and other international policies. To mold my research question into the small-n analysis, I would like to examine countries that have had recent forest loss and gain. Though globally, according to the Global Forest Watch[1], there has been an overall loss of forests, there are some instances of forest gain. Whether or not this is through natural processes or reforestation projects is yet unclear and calls for further research. The Global Forest watch allows for a visual comparison of tree forest gain and tree forest lost[2]. By using this source, I can better understand if my cases have had forest gain or loss with a simple “yes” or “no” answer. For the two cases I have already selected, Madagascar and Malaysia, I was able to find that the countries have similar temperature, and both have had forestry loss. Where there is a valuable difference, is when I found that Malaysia has also gained some area in forest whereas Madagascar has not[3]. In this case, the case selection and dependent variable hand in hand because it is important to examine both forestry gain and loss. I feel confident that this dependent variable may be able to have connections with my proposed independent variables.

 

“Global Forestry Watch,” World Resources Institute, last modified 2017, Accessed November 8, 2017, http://www.globalforestwatch.org/

[1] World Resources Institute. “Global Forest Watch.” last modified 2017. Accessed November 8, 2017. http://www.globalforestwatch.org/

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.