ABSTRACT

The number of airplane flights worldwide continues to grow and is one of the many drivers of climate change. This book examines the aviation industry from an anthropological perspective, focusing on the sector’s environmental impact and the challenges facing attempts to shift to more sustainable solutions. Hans Baer outlines how airplanes have become a key component of modern cultural and social life, and how the world system has become increasingly dependent on them to function. He critically examines current efforts to mitigate the climatic impact of the air travel and argues for a significant move away from air transport, suggesting that such a shift may only be achieved through a more fundamental change in the world system.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|32 pages

The political economy of aircraft

chapter 2|18 pages

Airports

Nodes or loci of economic development and sociality?

chapter 5|34 pages

Who is being transported by airplanes

chapter 7|25 pages

Alternatives to flying

Individual and collective strategies