We live in a world of diminishing resources. Demand for many fuels and minerals far exceeds supply and the global battles to access and control these resources are intensifying. In this exciting new series leading international experts explore the geopolitics of key natural resources. From oil to water, timber to coltan, these provocative and illuminating books offer big-picture analyses of the complex power struggles at play and their implications for the future of these vital global resources.
Timber
Peter Dauvergne & Jane Lister
University of British Columbia
'Timber uncovers the dark world of commodity chains that link the wood in our lives to global deforestation, and offers rays of hope for promising change. Everyone should read this book.'
— Paul Wapner, American University, Washington DC
Coltan
Michael Nest
Independent Scholar
'Are we as users of mobile telephones fuelling a terrible war? Nest provides a highly informative account, challenging commonly held views and presenting the facts in a lively and accessible manner.'
— Anke Hoeffler, University of Oxford
Fish
Elizabeth R. DeSombre & J. Samuel Barkin
Wellesley College; University of Florida
'Packed with facts and information, this wide-ranging book tells the tale of global fisheries in an easily accessible and engaging way. I can think of no better introduction to the subject.'
— Dale Squires, NOAA Fisheries Service
Food
Jennifer Clapp
University of Waterloo
'A fluently written, deeply researched and perceptive analysis of the global food industry. The book connects the discussion of food policy with debates about US hegemony, corporate power, civil society campaigns and questions of global development and inequality.'
— Robert Falkner, London School of Economics
Water
David Lewis Feldman
University of California, Irvine
Water is required by every living thing, yet a huge proportion of the world’s population struggles to access clean water daily. Drawing on a rich range of examples, this book explores the complex geopolitical issues surrounding our most fundamental resource.
Oil
Gavin Bridge & Philippe Le Billon
University of Manchester; University of British Columbia
An engaging and authoritative investigation into the geopolitics of oil, this book will be ideal for students of politics, geography, and environmental studies, as well as for anyone with an interest in the conflicts surrounding this contested resource.
