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date: 07 February 2025

Environmental History of Madagascarlocked

Environmental History of Madagascarlocked

  • Genese Marie SodikoffGenese Marie SodikoffDepartment of Sociology and Anthropology, Rutgers University–Newark

Summary

The environmental history of Madagascar traces the effects of climate change and human activity on landscapes and biodiversity as well as the ways societies have adapted to their evolving material conditions. Drawing from diverse fields such as archaeology, history, sociocultural anthropology, ecological sciences, linguistics, agriculture, archaeobotany, and genetics, the historiography of human–environment interaction has been rich and multifaceted.

While disagreements over the interpretation of findings have been inherent to the production of historical knowledge, corroborative evidence across multiple disciplines has established a generally accepted chronology of environmental change. Periodically, however, new discoveries and advancements in dating technology have reignited debates.

Environmental history encompasses not only the tangible changes to the biogeographical environment but also the evolution of ideas about the environment itself. Debates surrounding Madagascar’s precolonial past have revolved around several key themes, including the origins and arrival dates of the earliest settlers, the extent of their overlap with declining megafaunal populations, and the composition of the island’s prehistoric land cover. This article highlights dominant themes and debates in the environmental history of Madagascar.

Subjects

  • East Africa and Indian Ocean

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