Tides of History
The State and the Environmental History of Early China: Interview with Professor Brian Lander
Jan 4, 2024
Professor Brian Lander, author of The King's Harvest, discusses the environmental history of early China. Topics include the impact of human activities on the natural world, interpreting evidence, views of the natural world in ancient China, correlation between environmental factors and human society outcomes, state power and societal development, treatment of people as disposable commodities, and a recommendation for Professor Lander's book.
48:34
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Quick takeaways
- Humanity's transition from foragers to urbanites has resulted in significant environmental changes, including the replacement of native flora and fauna with domesticated species.
- Studying ancient environmental history in China requires combining various sources like archeology, paleoecology, and textual evidence to understand how humans interacted with their environment.
Deep dives
Humanity's evolving relationship with the environment
Throughout history, humanity has transitioned from being foragers and hunters to farmers, industrial laborers, and urbanites. This transformation has involved massive changes to the environment, including the replacement of native plants and animals with domesticated ones. China, with its rich history and development of the state, plays a central role in this journey. The state has the power to bring about significant environmental change on a large scale, which is explored by experts in human ecology and the state like Brian Lander at Brown University.
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