Description
Book SynopsisThis book will appeal to students and scholars of Chinese history, environmental history, and disaster studies. It analyses of one of the most lethal floods in history, exploring its environmental, social, and cultural dimensions. It examines the historical development of water problems in Yangzi region, which remain relevant today.
Trade Review'Among the welcome deluge of works on the environmental history of rivers in China, Courtney's work is distinctive in being able to bring the multiple dimensions, such as the hydrological, agricultural, local, political and not least, the cosmological and religious - within the optic he calls 'disaster regimes'. It is an innovative idea that can help guide the increasingly important field of disaster studies.' Prasenjit Duara, Oscar Tang Professor, Duke University, North Carolina
'This is a marvelous book. Courtney examines the massive but often-overlooked Yangzi River Flood of 1931 from environmental, ecological, institutional, cultural, social, and sensory perspectives, and delves into topics as varied as snail fever and the Dragon King cult. The Nature of Disaster greatly enriches our understanding of flooding in Nationalist China, and makes an important and timely contribution to the broader field of Chinese disaster studies.' Kathryn Edgerton-Tarpley, San Diego State University
'Courtney employs a multidimensional perspective that benefits from new trends in environmental history, as well as the more conventional institutional and political approaches of historians … Each of these six cleverly researched and well-written histories of the 1931 flood presents insights of great interest …' Lillian M. Li, Journal of Interdisciplinary History
'… the most detailed and explanatory book on the 1931 flood of central China. It fills an important gap and should remain a key reference on the subject.' Delphine Spicq, East Asian Science, Technology, and Medicine
Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The Long River长江; 2. The flood pulse; 3. The Dragon King龙王; 4. A sense of disaster; 5. Disaster experts; 6. The floating population; Epilogue.
