In the shadow of melting glaciers : climate change and Andean society /

Natural hazards change more than just landscapes. Recurring disasters caused by the same phenomena set up power struggles between affected populations and groups that can alleviate the danger. Historian Carey (Washington and Lee Univ.) focuses on the Peruvian Western Andes, where climate change has diminished mountain glaciers and created unstable meltwater lakes. Catastrophic outburst floods thundered down a river valley of farms, villages, and towns. Residents wanted the federal government to drain the lakes, but actions were slowed and ultimately determined by national politics, economic development agencies, and even the foreign private sector. Carey tracks the redefinition of the problem from flood prevention to power generation and tourism. The book emphasizes the cultural characteristics of different social groups in the Callejon de Huaylas and explains why early solutions, such as relocation and zoning, were unacceptable to urban populations whose homes and spaces had been destroyed by floods. This is a compelling, meticulously documented, and jargon-free presentation of the social changes a highly stratified, remote society has faced over the past 70 years. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners. L. S. Zipp formerly, State University of New York College at Geneseo