The Death of Ramón González has become a benchmark book since its publication in 1990. It has been taught in undergraduate and graduate courses in every social science discipline, sustainable and alternative agriculture, environmental studies, ecology, ethnic studies, public health, and Mexican, Latin American, and environmental history. The book has also been used at the University of California-Santa Cruz as a model of interdisciplinary work and at the University of Iowa as a mo...

When first published in 2009, Nature’s Matrix set out a radical new approach to the conservation of biodiversity. This new edition pushes the frontier of the biodiversity/agriculture debate further, making an even stronger case for the need to transform agriculture and support small- and medium-scale agroecology and food sovereignty.In the first edition, the authors set out a radical new approach to the conservation of biodiversity. This is based on the concept of a landsc...

A beautifully illustrated history of the little warships that for 50 years demonstrated the power of the Royal Navy worldwide, and which enforced the rule of the British Empire at its peak.In recent years the phrase 'gunboat diplomacy' has been used to describe the crude use of naval power to bully or coerce a weaker nation. During the reign of Queen Victoria, 'gunboat diplomacy' was viewed very differently. It was the use of a very limited naval force to encourage...

Superbly illustrated with original artwork throughout, this book explores the ironclad warships that fought the little-known battles of South America's War of the Pacific.In the late 19th century, a war erupted between Chile and Peru, the catalyst for which was control of guano-rich Chincha islands. Given the geography of the two countries, with a narrow, arid land border and long exposed coastlines, it was inevitable that the War of the Pacific would predominantly...

The launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 changed the face of naval warfare.The first half-dozen dreadnoughts were all improvements of the basic Dreadnought design, all carrying ten 12-inch guns. It was only in 1911, with the launch of HMS Neptune that the layout of this powerful armament was altered as a result of practical experience. Two more versions of the Neptune entered service later that same year. These nine improved dreadnoughts formed the core of the British...

When the Germans began building their own dreadnought fleet armed with larger guns in 1906, the Admiralty ordered the building of their own “super dreadnoughts”.The first of these new dreadnoughts were laid down in 1909, and entered service three years later. The British public supported this programme, and the slogan “we want eight and cannot wait” became popular, a reference to the building of eight of these super dreadnoughts. Four more super dreadnoughts entere...

In 1941, as the Battle of the Atlantic raged and ship losses mounted, the British Admiralty desperately tried to find ways to defeat the U-Boat threat to Britain's maritime lifeline.Facing a shortage of traditional aircraft carriers and shore-based aircraft, the Royal Navy, as a stopgap measure, converted merchant ships into small 'escort carriers'. These were later joined by a growing number of American-built escort carriers, sent as part of the Lend-Lease agreeme...

A highly illustrated account of the hunt for the Bismarck.The break of the German battleship Bismarck into the North Atlantic in May 1941 was one of the most dramatic episodes of World War II. It began with a battle between the Bismarck and the British battleship Prince of Wales and the heavy cruiser Hood. The Hood was blown to pieces, while the battered Prince of Wales managed to escape. The British th...

Formed to project British naval power from Gibraltar, Force H was the Royal Navy's unique strategic task force. This fully illustrated study explains its roles, organization and history.In June 1940, the fall of France and its powerful fleet completely changed the naval balance in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. To counter this, the Admiralty formed Force H, a unique task force based at Gibraltar, which was assigned some of Britain's most powerful capital ...

The Royal Navy's battleships at the turn of the 20th century were the most powerful battlefleet in the world.The term 'pre-dreadnought' was applied in retrospect, to describe the capital ships built during the decade and a half before the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906. At that moment these once great warships were rendered obsolete. However, until then, they were simply called 'battleships' and were unquestionably the most powerful warships of their da...

After the French warship La Gloire was launched in 1859, Britain, not to be outdone, launched her own ironclad the following year - HMS Warrior. When she entered service, she became the most powerful warship in the world.Just like the Dreadnought half a century later, this ship changed the nature of naval warfare forever, and sparked a frantic arms race. The elegant but powerful Warrior embodied the technological advances of the ...

In the early 20th century Britain's largest colonies established their own small naval presence, and their ships fought alongside the Royal Navy during World War I.These fleets were expanded during the inter-war years, and in 1939 the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy willingly joined the fight on behalf of the British Commonwealth. For the most part these small navies consisted of a few cruisers and destroyers, designed ...