Nature, Society, and Marginality (eBook)

This book focuses on the interrelations between nature and humans, in particular on those segments of societies that have been left behind (marginal groups). Nature is both the friend of humans and their adversary, depending on the way people treat and use it. Consequently, the book adopts a wide perspective of marginality: nature that has been marginalized by man (ecological marginality), but also social groups marginalized by politics, economic interests, and value judgements imbedded in culture. Many chapters deal specifically with issues in Nepal, but along with the other chapters with case studies from Southeast Asia and other regions, they demonstrate that the major man-nature problems are the same everywhere and can only be solved by constructive politics through clear regulations, convincing actions and general acceptance.

Pushkar K Pradhan is Professor of Geography at Tribhuvan University (TU), Kathmandu, Nepal. He has gained over three and half decades of professional experience in teaching, research and publication. He has earned his PhD degree from the Institute of Geography and Regional Science at Klagenfurt University, Austria, a MSc in Rural and Regional Development Planning from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, and a MA in Geography from TU, Nepal. He has published 38 research papers and books nationally and internationally and participated in over three dozen international and national seminars. He has held lead positions and has been a member of over six dozen research projects and consulting works with the national, international and multilateral agencies.

Walter Leimgruber is an emeritus professor of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he taught human and regional geography from 1982 to 2009. He presided the Swiss Geographical Society and Association of Swiss Geographers (1987-1989) and was chair of the IGU Commission on Evolving Issues of Geographical Marginality in the Early 21st Century World (2000-2004). Currently he serves as secretary of the IGU Commission on Marginalization, Globalization and Regional and Local Response. His research focused on boundaries and transborder relations and on mountains and marginal regions. He has authored or co-authored 11 books, 48 book chapters and over 80 articles.