Seeds of Control

"[A] welcome contribution to the literature on Japanese colonialism and “green imperialism.” Seeds of Control is a lively and timely work. Non-specialist readers will find it approachable and informative. Specialists in Japanese and Korean history will find Seeds of Control useful to think and teach with. It is an excellent example of what environmental history can bring to the study of nation and empire in East Asia."

"Seeds of Control is a must-read text for anyone interested in the complexity and interplay of colonial and environmental history."

"David Fedman presents the first environmental history monograph in English detailing Japanese colonial forestry policies and practices in Korea. The book is deeply and widely researched—incorporating archival, published, and scholarly sources in Korean, Japanese, and English—and is engagingly written."

"Through its comprehensive evaluation of the successes and failures of Japan’s environmental governance, Seeds of Control speaks to the current situation in an innovative and persuasive manner, for it reveals a new horizon or internal limit for the exercise of power."

"[E]xcellent, detailed, and carefully composed research."

"Seeds of Control is a thought-provoking, well-written study, thoroughly grounded in both Japanese and Korean sources. It is a pleasure to read."

"[A] remarkable work that will surely appeal to an academic audience."

"Seeds of Control is a vital book for scholars interested in the environmental history of colonial Korea, the general history of Korea, and the connected histories of wider East Asia. It is particularly vital due to its approach to vectors for imperialism or colonization, which have not been widely considered previously. Fedman's approach is rooted in a detailed examination of primary source materials, particularly those produced in Keijō by the government-general at the time, in both Japanese and English, as well as other primary material published elsewhere in the Japanese empire."

"An outstanding work of scholarship that deftly weaves together diverse multilingual sources and perspectives to tell a story both relevant and accessible to scholars and (advanced) students of many disciplines and backgrounds."

"An excellent addition to the history of forestry and environmental governance in Korea, the Japanese empire, and wider East Asia . . . By situating the cultural, political, and economic impacts of forestry in translocal contexts, Seeds of Control illustrates the exciting potential of the expanding historiography of science and the environment and invites dialogue on the deep and lasting legacy of colonialism in environmental governance today."

"Dexterous, skillful work—essential reading on the Japanese empire, environmental history in East Asia, and the modern history of Korea and Japan."

"The author does a splendid job of pulling in readers through his rich writing. Even though it is set in Korea and East Asia, Seeds of Control is a platform for studying pressing issues in environmental history/studies."