River restoration initiatives are now widespread across the world. The research efforts undertaken to support them are increasingly interdisciplinary, focusing on ecological, chemical, physical as well as societal issues. “River Restoration: Political, Social, and Economic Perspectives” provides a comprehensive overview of research in the field of river restoration in humanities and the social sciences. It illustrates how, in the last thirty years or so, such approaches have evolved and strengthened within the restoration sciences.
The scientific community working in this domain has structured itself, often regionally and circumstantially, to critically assess and improve restoration policies and practices. As a research field, river restoration tackles three thematic axes:
• Human-river interactions—especially perceptions and practices of rivers, and how these interactions can be changed by restoration projects
• Political processes, with a particular interest in governance and decision-making, and a specific emphasis on the question of public participation in restoration projects
• Evaluation of the social and economic benefits of river restoration
“River Restoration: Political, Social, and Economic Perspectives” encompasses these three topics, and more, to provide the reader with the most up-to-date and holistic view of this constantly evolving area. The book will be of particular interest to human and social scientists, biophysical scientists (hydrologists, geomorphologists, ecologists), environmental scientists, public policy makers, design or planning officers, and anyone working in the field of river restoration.
