Jon Dahlem is an environmental sociologist with a Ph.D. in sociology from Washington State University who specializes in the sociologies of biodiversity loss and species conservation. In particular, his work applies qualitative research methods to case studies in conservation in order to explicate the underlying social causes of sociopolitical inertia toward solving urgent environmental problems. He has produced work exploring the analogous phenomenon of inaction toward abating climate change. Having recently completed a case study of the conservation of Island Marble Butterflies on San Juan Island, WA, Jon is currently developing an extensive case study of Nebraskan Sandhill Crane conservation practices. He currently works as Assistant Professor and Program Director of Sociology at Bellevue University, in Bellevue, NE.
A specifically sociological perspective has been largely absent
thus far from the rapidly growing field of critical conservation
studies. In "The Good, Green Gold of Spring", Jon Dahlem
convincingly demonstrates this perspective's unique contribution to
both research and practice aiming to confront the impending sixth
extinction crisis.
Dr. Robert FletcherWageningen University & Research
Jon Dahlem has produced something environmental sociologists have
needed for a very long time: a "conservation sociology." Through an
extensive case study of the Island Marble Butterfly, Dahlem shows
how we can both seek to understand as well as advocate for efforts
to conserve biodiversity during this age of the sixth great
extinction. What is more, Dahlem has a knack for presenting complex
ideas and processes in a relatable manner. He has a deep respect
for natural science, though situates both natural and social
science within its proper historical, cultural, and political
contexts. This book should be welcomed by anyone concerned about
drastic environmental change.
Dr. Jordan Fox BesekDepartment of SociologyState University of New
York at Buffalo
What can the Island Marble butterfly-a thumbnail-sized insect-tell
us about society? Jon Dahlem answers this question with social
scientific rigor in "The Good, Green Gold of Spring." His
ethnography transports readers to the lush San Juan Islands in
Washington state, where the Island Marble butterfly commands
attention from conservationists who clash over how to study and
care for the species. Dahlem's thoughtful analysis also situates
IMB conservation in a broader social and political context, where
conservationists' actions reveal truths about power, inequality,
and the environment. Dahlem deftly connects his observations of
butterfly-human interactions to larger themes and debates in social
science. His elegant depiction of waiting to observe an IMB's first
flight-an ability that will only last for seven days before it
dies-underscores the important, and often incongruent, relationship
between sociocultural and biophysical time as a key challenge in
conservation movements.The book's call for a conservation sociology
is innovative and well-supported by data. The discipline of
sociology has much to offer conservation efforts-namely, the
perspective that science cannot be separated from the people who do
it and the systems they exist in. "The Good, Green Gold of Spring"
charts a roadmap for how sociologists can describe problems and
prescribe solutions for the pressing needs of species
conservation.
Dr. Pierce GreenbergDepartment of SociologyCreighton University
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