Reg istration Required
\nRainforest Radicals&nb sp\;presents the first history of one of the most innovative and successfu l environmental organizations of the late twentieth century. Rainforest Action Network emerged in 1985\, when it took over a fledgling effort to protect rainforests fro m transnational corporations funding the expansion of tropical cattle ranc hing. It excelled at using nonviolent\, civil disobedience in dramatic cam paigns that captured the attention of the public\, media\, and RAN&rsquo\; s corporate adversaries. As a result\, two decades later rainforest conser vation went from a niche academic topic to a fixture in American popular c ulture\, the rights of Indigenous people had gone from ignored or romantic ized to at least considered in discussions of the management of their ance stral homelands\, and RAN had scored a series of victories over some of th e planet&rsquo\;s largest corporations.
\nIn \;Rainforest Ra dicals\, David Benac traces the evolution of RAN and radical\, transn ational grassroots environmentalism through the four campaigns identified at the group&rsquo\;s founding: rainforest beef\, Hawai&lsquo\;ian rainfor ests\, tropical timber\, and multinational development banks. Forty years after RAN&rsquo\;s inception\, there is much to learn from how it organize d people in small towns and large cities across the United States\, create d alliances that spanned oceans\, and inspired a new movement that integra ted human rights\, Indigenous sovereignty\, and environmental protection t o challenge multinational corporations\, national governments\, and neocol onial corporate-led globalism.
\nThrough more than thirty oral histo ries\, including those of key players from different eras of RAN&rsquo\;s history as well as leaders from other environmental and Indigenous rights organizations\, Rainforest Radicals provides unparalleled insight into the network.
\nDavid Benac is an environmen tal and public historian of the post-WWII United States. His research inve stigates how people act on their perceptions of nature\, the science of ec ology\, and the philosophy of ecocentrism. He is also the author of \; Conflict in the Ozarks: Hill Folk\, Industrialists\, and Government in the Courtois Hills.
\nAll part icipants are welcome. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided\, please email Jacob Lambert in advance of yo ur visit.
\nLocation Details: \;Austin\, Sugarl oaf\, and West Lake rooms which are located on the lower level of the libr ary.
\nEvent Contact: \;Jacob Lambert
\nhttp s://portage.libnet.info/event/16174930 URL;VALUE=URI:https://portage.libnet.info/event/16174930 ATTACH:https://static.libnet.info/images/events/portage/0811_RainforestRad icals.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR