Book Review: The body in parts: fantasies of corporeality in early modern Europe

Abstract

meat means more hunting for caribou, seals, fish, etc.). ‘Sustainability ‘ is less well dealt with, though. At times the authors border on romanticizing Inuit whaling as ‘in balance with nature’, when what is needed is a more nuanced discussion of sustainability which places local indigenous harvesting in the wider context of commercial whaling. Additionally, the authors appeal to notions of ‘rationality’ and ‘science’ in criticizing the ‘emotive’ and ‘political’ nature of the whale debate as they see it (as if rationality and science were somehow objective and apolitical). Still, these problems aside, Inuit, whaling and sustainability makes a persuasive case for attending to the specific needs of Inuit communities in the future regulation of whaling. One hopes (in vain?) that its arguments will actually reach the policymakers whose decisions impact so decisively on these indigenous groups.