Sacred Forests of Asia: Spiritual Ecology and the Politics of Nature Conservation

This book explores the sacred forests of Asia, discussing the diversity of cosmologies, ecologies, and traditional local resource management practices. It adopts a political ecology perspective and provides a systematic comparative analysis of these forests, including case studies from Vietnam, Java, China, India, and Korea. The book emphasizes the interconnectedness of sacred forests with common property regimes, resource security, spiritual matters, and cultural identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 330 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive exploration delves into the enigmatic realms of Asia's sacred forests, engaging in vibrant new scholarly dialogues that shed light on the intricate nature of sacred space, place, landscape, and ecology within the context of the highly contentious ideas of the Anthropocene. Given the vast expanse of these revered groves across Asia, this volume explores the rich tapestry of associated cosmologies, ecologies, traditional local resource management practices, and environmental governance systems that have evolved over centuries, spanning from pre-colonial to post-colonial eras. Drawing upon theoretical frameworks from political ecology, the book views ecology and polity as interdependent elements that interact within local, regional, and global networks. Within its pages, readers will discover the first systematic comparative analysis of sacred forests, encompassing a diverse range of examples such as the karchall mabhuy of the Katu people in Central Vietnam, the leuweng kolot of the Baduy people in West Java, the fengshui forests of southern China, the groves dedicated to the goddess Sarna Mata worshiped by the Oraon people in Jharkhand, India, and the mauelsoop and bibosoop of Korea. Each chapter presents in-depth, field-based case studies that demonstrate how the sacredness of these forests cannot be divorced from their crucial roles in common property regimes, resource security, spiritual matters of utmost importance, and cultural identity. This volume holds immense appeal to students and scholars engaged in the fields of indigenous studies, environmental anthropology, political ecology, geography, religion and heritage, nature conservation, environmental protection, and Asian studies. It offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between human societies, nature, and cultural heritage, providing a rich foundation for further exploration and understanding.

Weight: 640g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367698737