Noel Castree | The University of Manchester (original) (raw)

Papers by Noel Castree

Research paper thumbnail of Nature, economy and the cultural politics of theory: the 'war against the seals' in the Bering Sea

This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource pr... more This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource problem: the over-exploitation of the north Pacific fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) in the years between 1870 and 1911. Involving multiple economic actors and several nation states, the harvesting of the fur seal almost brought Britain and the U.S. to the point of armed conflict, almost brought financial ruin for all the parties with an economic stake in the fur seal trade, and almost brought about the extinction of the fur seal itself. In addition, the resolution of the fur seal crisis--the 1911 North Pacific Fur Seal Convention--was a precedent setting multilateral resource conservation agreement which enjoyed considerable long-term success. For these reasons, the fur seal case has resonances with present day inter national environmental problems, especially those concerning migratory 'wildlife'. Using the fur seal example, the paper deploys ecoMarxist concepts to work on two fronts simultaneously. First, it offers a critique of currently popular neo-classical and free market approaches to explaining and resolving environmental problems. Second, it offers a critique of the also currently popular "ecocentric" response to resource problems. Pointing to the inadequacies of both, the Marxian approach used offers an overarching account of the fur seal case in both its material and discursive dimensions. In conclusion, the limits of this approach are signalled and the cultural politics of theories of environmental degradation emphasized. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd

Research paper thumbnail of Border Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Nature, economy and the cultural politics of theory: the ‘War Against the Seals’ in the Bering Sea, 1870–1911

Geoforum, 1997

This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource pr... more This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource problem: the over-exploitation of the north Pacific fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) in the years between 1870 and 1911. Involving multiple economic actors and several nation states, the harvesting of the fur seal almost brought Britain and the U.S. to the point of armed conflict, almost brought financial ruin for all the parties with an economic stake in the fur seal trade, and almost brought about the extinction of the fur seal itself. In addition, the resolution of the fur seal crisis--the 1911 North Pacific Fur Seal Convention--was a precedent setting multilateral resource conservation agreement which enjoyed considerable long-term success. For these reasons, the fur seal case has resonances with present day inter national environmental problems, especially those concerning migratory 'wildlife'. Using the fur seal example, the paper deploys ecoMarxist concepts to work on two fronts simultaneously. First, it offers a critique of currently popular neo-classical and free market approaches to explaining and resolving environmental problems. Second, it offers a critique of the also currently popular "ecocentric" response to resource problems. Pointing to the inadequacies of both, the Marxian approach used offers an overarching account of the fur seal case in both its material and discursive dimensions. In conclusion, the limits of this approach are signalled and the cultural politics of theories of environmental degradation emphasized. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd

Research paper thumbnail of From neoliberalism to neoliberalisation: consolations, confusions, and necessary illusions

Environment and Planning A, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of Border geography

Area, 2002

... we know where it will go and who will use it, but because we don't ... In the me... more ... we know where it will go and who will use it, but because we don't ... In the meantime, critical geogra phers should carve out a space where they can do the kind of ... the agenda Progress in Human Geography forthcoming Fraser N 1989 Unruly practices Routledge, New York Hague ...

Research paper thumbnail of Geography without borders

Transactions of The Institute of British Geographers, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Introduction: Professional Geography and the Corporatization ofthe University: Experiences, Evaluations, and Engagements

Antipode, 2000

While the recent “cultural turn” in geography has sometimes led to a neglect of political economy... more While the recent “cultural turn” in geography has sometimes led to a neglect of political economy, the capitalist economy in all its creative and destructive dynamism has not neglected professional geographers. Instead, as both producers and consumers of academic ...

Research paper thumbnail of Nature, economy and the cultural politics of theory: the 'war against the seals' in the Bering Sea

This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource pr... more This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource problem: the over-exploitation of the north Pacific fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) in the years between 1870 and 1911. Involving multiple economic actors and several nation states, the harvesting of the fur seal almost brought Britain and the U.S. to the point of armed conflict, almost brought financial ruin for all the parties with an economic stake in the fur seal trade, and almost brought about the extinction of the fur seal itself. In addition, the resolution of the fur seal crisis--the 1911 North Pacific Fur Seal Convention--was a precedent setting multilateral resource conservation agreement which enjoyed considerable long-term success. For these reasons, the fur seal case has resonances with present day inter national environmental problems, especially those concerning migratory 'wildlife'. Using the fur seal example, the paper deploys ecoMarxist concepts to work on two fronts simultaneously. First, it offers a critique of currently popular neo-classical and free market approaches to explaining and resolving environmental problems. Second, it offers a critique of the also currently popular "ecocentric" response to resource problems. Pointing to the inadequacies of both, the Marxian approach used offers an overarching account of the fur seal case in both its material and discursive dimensions. In conclusion, the limits of this approach are signalled and the cultural politics of theories of environmental degradation emphasized. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd

Research paper thumbnail of Border Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Nature, economy and the cultural politics of theory: the ‘War Against the Seals’ in the Bering Sea, 1870–1911

Geoforum, 1997

This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource pr... more This essay uses Marxian political-economy to make sense of an important international resource problem: the over-exploitation of the north Pacific fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) in the years between 1870 and 1911. Involving multiple economic actors and several nation states, the harvesting of the fur seal almost brought Britain and the U.S. to the point of armed conflict, almost brought financial ruin for all the parties with an economic stake in the fur seal trade, and almost brought about the extinction of the fur seal itself. In addition, the resolution of the fur seal crisis--the 1911 North Pacific Fur Seal Convention--was a precedent setting multilateral resource conservation agreement which enjoyed considerable long-term success. For these reasons, the fur seal case has resonances with present day inter national environmental problems, especially those concerning migratory 'wildlife'. Using the fur seal example, the paper deploys ecoMarxist concepts to work on two fronts simultaneously. First, it offers a critique of currently popular neo-classical and free market approaches to explaining and resolving environmental problems. Second, it offers a critique of the also currently popular "ecocentric" response to resource problems. Pointing to the inadequacies of both, the Marxian approach used offers an overarching account of the fur seal case in both its material and discursive dimensions. In conclusion, the limits of this approach are signalled and the cultural politics of theories of environmental degradation emphasized. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd

Research paper thumbnail of From neoliberalism to neoliberalisation: consolations, confusions, and necessary illusions

Environment and Planning A, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of Border geography

Area, 2002

... we know where it will go and who will use it, but because we don't ... In the me... more ... we know where it will go and who will use it, but because we don't ... In the meantime, critical geogra phers should carve out a space where they can do the kind of ... the agenda Progress in Human Geography forthcoming Fraser N 1989 Unruly practices Routledge, New York Hague ...

Research paper thumbnail of Geography without borders

Transactions of The Institute of British Geographers, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Introduction: Professional Geography and the Corporatization ofthe University: Experiences, Evaluations, and Engagements

Antipode, 2000

While the recent “cultural turn” in geography has sometimes led to a neglect of political economy... more While the recent “cultural turn” in geography has sometimes led to a neglect of political economy, the capitalist economy in all its creative and destructive dynamism has not neglected professional geographers. Instead, as both producers and consumers of academic ...