Uncertain climes : debating climate change in gilded age America / Joseph Giacomelli.
| Author/creator | Giacomelli, Joseph author. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication | Chicago, IL : The University of Chicago Press, 2023. |
| Copyright Date | ©2023 |
| Description | 238 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Introduction: Questions "forever remain" -- A climate fit for civilization -- Climate and capitalism in the Great West and beyond -- In the middle border: Gustavus Hinrichs and his network of volunteer observers -- Fluid geographies: mapping climate change interlude: rainmakers and other "paradoxers" -- Mysterious ecologies -- Technocracy and the mastery of uncertainty -- Conclusion: The meanings of uncertainty. |
| Abstract | "Drawing on the writings of scientists, foresters, surveyors, and settlers, Joseph Giacomelli shows that climate uncertainty infused Gilded Age thinking about economic growth and national development. He details a multivalent discourse on climate that infused both practical concerns and overarching political themes, not least Manifest Destiny. Giacomelli makes it clear that uncertainty drew together concerns about human-induced climate change and cultural worries about the sustainability of capitalist expansionism. A rising belief in scientific positivism was matched by a growing awareness of the illusory nature of scientific certainty; faith in society's power to improve landscapes tussled with persistent fears of environmental catastrophe"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Genre/form | History. |
| LCCN | 2022026641 |
| ISBN | 9780226824437 hardcover |
| ISBN | 0226824438 hardcover |
| ISBN | electronic book |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | General Stacks | QC903.2 .U6 G53 2023 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |