How Long to Read Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange

How Long Does it Take to Read Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange?

It takes the average reader 3 hours and 30 minutes to read Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange by Alf Hornborg

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

In modern society, we tend to have faith in technology. But is our concept of ‘technology’ itself a cultural illusion? This book challenges the idea that humanity as a whole is united in a common development toward increasingly efficient technologies. Instead it argues that modern technology implies a kind of global ‘zero-sum game’ involving uneven resource flows, which make it possible for wealthier parts of global society to save time and space at the expense of humans and environments in the poorer parts. We tend to think of the functioning of machines as if it was detached from the social relations of exchange which make machines economically and physically possible (in some areas). But even the steam engine that was the core of the Industrial Revolution in England was indissolubly linked to slave labour and soil erosion in distant cotton plantations. And even as seemingly benign a technology as railways have historically saved time (and accessed space) primarily for those who can afford them, but at the expense of labour time and natural space lost for other social groups with less purchasing power. The existence of technology, in other words, is not a cornucopia signifying general human progress, but the unevenly distributed result of unequal resource transfers that the science of economics is not equipped to perceive. Technology is not simply a relation between humans and their natural environment, but more fundamentally a way of organizing global human society. From the very start it has been a global phenomenon, which has intertwined political, economic and environmental histories in complex and inequitable ways. This book unravels these complex connections and rejects the widespread notion that technology will make the world sustainable. Instead it suggests a radical reform of money, which would be as useful for achieving sustainability as for avoiding financial breakdown. It brings together various perspectives from environmental and economic anthropology, ecological economics, political ecology, world-system analysis, fetishism theory, semiotics, environmental and economic history, and development theory. Its main contribution is a new understanding of technological development and concerns about global sustainability as questions of power and uneven distribution, ultimately deriving from the inherent logic of general-purpose money. It should be of interest to students and professionals with a background or current engagement in anthropology, sustainability studies, environmental history, economic history, or development studies.

How long is Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange?

Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange by Alf Hornborg is 206 pages long, and a total of 52,736 words.

This makes it 70% the length of the average book. It also has 64% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 4 hours and 48 minutes to read Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange aloud.

What Reading Level is Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange?

Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange?

Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange by Alf Hornborg is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

To buy Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange by Alf Hornborg on Amazon click the button below.