Development on the ground: clusters, networks and regions in emerging economies * Allen J. Scott and Gioacchino Garofoli (Eds)

Conference proceedings like this one, the outcome of a workshopheld in 2005, typically run dangers of suffering from variouspitfalls in that they compile a set of heterogeneous contributionsthat widely vary with respect to thematic focus and researchheuristics, and essential insights have often been publishedelsewhere before. This volume addresses an important and intenselydebated issue, comprises many enlightening chapters, and isedited by a team of renowned researchers; but its value is impairedby the typical imperfections. Ambitious expectations raisedin the editors’ preface, promising far-reaching consequencesof the book for theoretical and empirical work as well as forpractical policies supporting less developed countries are hardlyrealistic. Yet, how should a collection of 14 essays, albeitbeing written mostly by acknowledged academic experts, actuallymanage to produce breakthrough insights concerning the intricatetask of effectively promoting     

Grey owl's return: Cultural ecology and Canadian indigenous peoples*

Bruce Cox, ed. Cultural Ecology: Readings on the Canadian Indians and Eskimos. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1973. 331 pp. Maps and appendix. $4.95 (paper).     

The sustainable development paradox: urban political economy in the United States and Europe * Rob Krueger and David Gibbs (Eds)

Recent work in the field of urban political ecology has broughtto attention the lack of critical discussion surrounding notionsof ‘sustainability’ in local planning and policydiscussions. In The Sustainable Development Paradox: Urban politicaleconomy in the United States and Europe Rob Krueger and DavidGibbs edit a comprehensive volume that highlights many currentcritical conversations about sustainability. Work on sustainabilitygenerally begins by stating that it is a widely recognized conceptwith no clear definition and therefore the need to define itbecomes paramount. Krueger and Gibbs go beyond this tired tropeand challenge current theorizations of sustainability whiletaking up critical analysis of its use in material practice.The question that runs throughout the volume is: how can wediscuss achieving a state of sustainability under the currenteconomic system? Through detailed case studies, the authorstake a distinctly geographical approach