Baer (Univ. of Melbourne) focuses on the political ecology of motor vehicles in the context of global capitalism. Recognizing that continued and increasing dependence on cars, trucks, and other such vehicles contributes enormously to climate change, health problems, and social inequality, he marshals large quantities of data to demonstrate this negative impact. Much of Baer's presentation is devoted to the stance that "automobility" is unsustainable, even in the short run, and that reformist solutions such as fuel efficiency, safety regulations, and government planning are being outpaced by the worldwide growth of auto use. In addition, he provides case studies from Germany, Australia, Brazil, and Cuba to examine the differential impact globally. . . In the final chapter, he presents an abbreviated view of his solution to the dilemma, one that reaches well beyond the automobile, and advocates what he calls “eco-socialism.” Dense but useful, this volume should be added to transportation and environmental collections. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals.

Choice Reviews

This work serves as a useful guide to how humanity arrived at its current situation of automobile dependence and sketches out many of the reasons why we will need to transcend it.

Anthropology in Action