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岛屿太平洋①环境史研究概述

[内容提要]岛屿太平洋环境史尚处初创阶段。相关研究主要从西方“他者”研究、殖民扩张需求,及二战后本土学者对西方“发展战略”反思的知识与现实基础中产生而来。20世纪90年代后,西方学者逐渐摆脱“他者研究”倾向。随着二战后,太平洋研究机构的建立,本土学者异军突起,在发觉自身历史独特性的同时,深刻反思西方“进步观念”、“发展战略”为岛屿未来的可持续发展提供借鉴。然而,初创中的研究仍存在“零散混乱”、欠缺对现实社会环境不公正的关注等问题。综上,未来的岛屿太平洋环境史有必要向中观综合区域性研究发展。

[关键词]岛屿太平洋 波利尼西亚 环境史学史 区域研究 本土研究

一、岛屿环境史研究的兴起 著名环境史学家约翰·麦克尼尔,在2001年出版的《太平洋世界环境史》论文集中曾用“正在形成中的领域”来形容当前的太平洋环境史研究。他亦坦诚指出:“当前,太平洋区域环境史其实并没有真正形成。”[1]( pxiii)尽管,其所谓“太平洋区域”是指包含东亚、澳洲、北美等更为广阔的区域,但仅就小范围的岛屿太平洋区域来说,能将环境史研究与日益博兴的太平洋区域研究相结合的岛屿太平洋环境史尚在草创之中。 尽管,相关研究尚未完全形成,但近现代相关考古学、博物学、历史学、人类学、自然科学等领域却成就辉煌;这为岛屿太平洋环境史研究提供了重要的知识基础。早在16世纪中期,伴随着太平洋航海探险的进行,欧洲人急需了解神秘瑰丽的太平洋岛屿区域。于是,早期的船长日记、探险家游记便成了西方人有关岛屿太平洋历史的最早记载。18世纪,卢梭的浪漫主义所谓的“高尚的野蛮”(noble savage)[2](p5),直接影响了西方人对热带岛屿的认识,并逐渐演化为《东方学》中揭示的:18世纪末19世纪初,欧洲对太平洋岛屿进行统治和改造的“殖民话语”。19世纪末20世纪初随着全球资本主义体系的形成,欧洲在太平洋地区为帝国主义霸权与商品市场展开激烈争夺,殖民帝国纷纷在太平洋岛屿上建立自己的海外殖民地并推广单一种植园等生产方式。同时,西方学者则大多从“他者”角度认识和编撰岛屿太平洋的历史。二战后,相关研究有了新进展。特别是20世纪90年代末,帮随着环境史研究的兴起岛屿太平洋历史研究出现了反话语霸权、反权力的后殖民、后现代倾向。一方面,西方著名环境史学家们,通过环境史研究视角考察当地人与自然互动的历史关系;更加尊重岛屿环境因素影响下文化和历史发展的特性;尽可能还原当地历史演变过程的连续性,并将“岛屿区域”放在全球范围内考察其间的复杂联系。另一方面,本土研究如雨后春笋般大量涌现。夏威夷、斐济等地纷纷建立起“波利尼西亚文化研究中心”以及“太平洋学术研究中心”等学术机构。本土学者纷纷成长起来,对欧洲殖民统治之下的历史认识、“进步观念”和“发展战略”进行深刻反思;并以著民视角重新审视历史上岛民与岛屿自然环境之间的互动关系,逐渐认识到岛屿特殊的地理、气候条件,在塑造岛国历史中所扮演的至关重要的角色。通过艰辛努力本土学者们的研究既发出了岛国历史“自己的声音”;又从更加整体、有机的角度,将西方传统上的“他者”研究,扩展为复杂联系的岛屿太平洋环境史。 值得注意的是:20世纪70-80年代,仍被西方人看作“人间天堂”、“世外桃园”的岛屿区域,并没有出现与西方相似的大规模环保运动。这也在一定程度上导致岛屿环境史研究对发展战略反思有待深入;相关研究对社会“环境不公正”等现象关注不够充分等问题。 二、岛屿环境史研究的相关成果
“他者研究”的转变
20世纪90年代后,殖民主义的影响在世界范围内日渐衰微,历史学自身也出现了新转向。与之相应,岛屿太平洋环境史研究显示出了较强的“后殖民”和“后现代”、反权力的倾向。西方学者的相关研究不再带有浓厚的“他者研究”倾向,而尽可能客观分析岛屿当地人、地之间的历史关系。转变后的西方环境史学家们主要关注:中观综合研究,当地著民、殖民者与自然环境之间三维互动的关系。 其研究主题大致包含:欧洲殖民的生态影响、“生态旅行箱”与物种灭绝、太平洋战争与核武器试验等。 1、中观综合研究:美国著名环境史学家约翰·麦克尼尔的论文,应该是相关研究中最为成熟和重要著作之一。2001年约翰·麦克尼尔编辑了《太平洋世界环境史——太平洋世界土地、人与太平洋历史1500-1900》论文集[1]。其中麦克尼尔自己撰写的《老鼠与人——岛屿太平洋环境史概要》[1](p69)应算是有关太平洋岛屿环境史开创性的中观区域综合研究。探讨了从史前时代至今,岛屿太平洋地区人与自然互动的历史关系。作者将太平洋岛屿环境史分为4个时期,而分期标准已不再是重要的政治事件,而是将人与环境互动的历史关系发生重要转折的时刻作为分期节点的。文章从中观角度对岛屿太平洋区域以及“大历史”(包括人类史前时代)环境史进行鸟瞰式的研究视角,以及独具匠心的分期,为进一步深入研究搭建很好的分析框架。该文章应算是既有岛屿太平洋环境史研究中无法绕过的里程碑式文章。 除此之外,西方学者关于岛屿太平洋环境史的综合性研究亦多见于综合性世界环境史研究著作中。由于岛屿太平洋环境史研究是以“区域”为单位的历史研究,其“中观区域性研究视角”势必有别于传统的以民族国家为基本分析单位的历史研究。而星罗密布的岛屿好似无串的“珍珠”有效的将太平洋区域乃至整个世界有效的整合在一起,强调了区域间的联系性。诸如:阿尔弗雷德·克罗斯比的《生态帝国主义》、唐纳德·休斯《世界环境史:人类在生命共同体中不断变化的角色》、[3](p.93-97)克莱夫·庞廷《绿色世界史——环境与伟大文明的衰落》开篇就借用孤悬在太平洋偏远的复活节岛生态崩裂作为微缩的生态文明,使人们认识到资源环境有限的承载力与人类生活方式之间的矛盾。[31](p1-9.193-195)贾雷德·戴蒙德《枪炮、病菌与钢铁——人类社会的命运》描述了波利尼西亚人在太平洋岛屿地区的散居历史[32](p373-396)。理查德·格罗夫《绿色帝国主义》第七章“全球环保主义的开端:专业科学、大洋洲岛屿与东印度公司,1768-1838年”中探讨了伴随着欧洲的殖民主义带到太平洋岛国的不同环境认识,以及专业科学带动下所谓的环保主义思想在岛屿太平洋地区的形成[4](p309-375)。尽管,上述扛鼎环境史著作涉及到岛屿太平洋部分各有千秋,但相关研究往往不是研究重点所在。因此,这些研究大都浅尝辄止,并没能有效展现岛屿间的联系或是将岛屿环境史整合入区域或全球范围环境史研究当中。 2、欧洲殖民的生态影响:1760年代欧洲殖民者来到太平洋诸岛,就像1490年代他们到达大西洋美洲一样。[1](p312)欧洲殖民者带来牲畜、细菌、杂草的“生态旅行箱”以及先进的资本主义经济模式都对岛屿当地的生态系统产生了深刻影响。 杰勒德·沃德《太平洋岛屿中的人——太平洋岛屿地理变迁评论》[5](p303-305)(1972)是由独立后本土学者进行有关殖民时代(1521年后)岛屿区域人地关系的研究。展现了与世隔绝的岛屿著民在资本主义全球贸易市场影响下的劳动力流动、殖民者在岛屿上建立种植园和矿业的环境影响以及太平洋岛屿城市化问题。约翰·弗兰雷的《法属波利尼西亚塔西提岛Vaihiria湖流域环境史》[6](p431-447)是一篇发表在生物地理学杂志上命名为“环境史”(Environmental History)的学术文章。作者通过大量湖水淤泥中的花粉与硅藻的记录,分析了近500-600年间该湖泊流域的人、地关系变化,印证了18世纪晚期欧洲殖民者到来之前塔西提沿海地区定居人口的下降。然而,不足之处在于文章除结论外几乎全是数据运算与图表分析,给非专业读者的阅读造成一定的障碍;也使文章缺乏了历史学基本的“叙述”特质。 3、“生态旅行箱”与物种灭绝:阿尔弗雷德·克罗斯比曾在其《哥伦布的交换》、《生态扩张主义》中提到欧洲殖民者在拓殖时携带的“生态旅行箱”,即人口、动植物及细菌微生物对新欧洲地区的入侵与替代。有关欧洲殖民者给岛屿当地带来的土壤侵蚀、森林滥伐、物种灭绝乃至由此带来的岛屿生态文明的消亡,在前文提及的世界环境史的有关章节中都做了充分而又生动的论述。但岛屿环境史研究却就此得出了不同认识。《早期波利尼西亚人的定居对亨德森岛屿陆地蜗牛的影响》[7](p347-368)一文,以及米伯格与汤米的《天真的鸟类与高尚的野蛮:人类造成的岛屿鸟类史前灭绝回顾》[8](p229-250)解释了前殖民时期岛屿著民不可持续的资源利用方式,导致的生态破坏和物种灭绝;而这种岛屿生物圈的破坏也反之影响了人类社会的发展,使大量岛屿不再适合人类的生存。这些研究促使使我们认识到物种灭绝与生物替代早在波利尼西亚人“主宰”的“前殖民时期”就已发生。 4、太平洋战争与核武器试验:太平洋岛屿地区不可避免的成为太平洋战争的“核心舞台”。而二战极大的促进了孤立岛屿间的联系与往来。曾处于世界“边缘”的太平洋岛屿成了战争重要的中转地和军需产品生产地。J.A.班尼特对太平洋战争背景下岛屿人地关系的历史变化及战争给岛屿带来的环境影响进行了深入的研究。在他的《战争、危急事件与环境:斐济1939-1946年》[9]指出:在战争的危机状态下,斐济成了美军以及新西兰军队重要的军需补给地,而展示美军的驻扎外来人口的迅猛增长,给岛屿有限的自然资源带来了沉重压力。尽管斐济为代表的太平洋岛屿并没有直接经受战火的涂炭,但是她们并没有逃脱战争带来的景观变迁、森林滥伐与环境退化。 二战后,岛屿太平洋为美国、英国和法国提供了适宜的核试验场所。1963年法国将她在非洲撒哈拉沙漠地区的核实验基地转移到其太平洋海外省。一夜间,塔西提和帕皮提人放弃传统渔业、耕作生产方式,并在萌芽中的核试验工业中成为薪酬劳动力。[10](p95)然而,相关研究大都集中在宗主国与殖民地的政治关系上却未能从环境史视角进行深入探讨。[11](P954)本·德雷斯与玛丽·德雷斯合著的《穆鲁罗亚:我们的殖民炸弹——法属殖民地的核武器殖民史》[12]是一本法语著作,该书描述了1956年法国在其太平洋海外省进行核试验至今的历史。作者指出在1966年-1974年八年中核武器实验给当地的自然环境造成了极大的污染,使得拥有大量法国移民的塔西提岛成了该区域最后的“环境难民营”。作者用66章的篇幅,极为细致的叙述和分析了法国进行的核试验对岛屿当地政治、经济、文化、环境造成的综合影响。与两人在1986年出版的《有毒的统治:法国在太平洋地区的核殖民主义》[13]主要是从法国政府的角度考察了太平洋海外省的核武器实验与法国内政、外交的影响相比,显然1993年的这部著作更富历史复杂性,包含环境影响、经济问题以及政治问题等多重变量的互动。 “本土研究”的崛起 与西方学者的转向相比,更令人振奋的是本土研究逐渐成为了太平洋岛屿研究的“主力军”。其研究大致分为两部分:一部分学者关注于殖民拓殖之前的“史前时代”,从而揭示出环境在塑造波利尼西亚历史文化中不可替代的重要性及历史发展的连续性。另一部分研究主要关注于二战后岛屿的“发展问题”。通过对岛屿文化传统、地理环境以及当前环境危机的考察,对西方的城市化和发展策略进行了较为深刻的反思与批判。 1、展现岛屿历史的连续性 20世纪90年代后本土研究异军突起,挣脱西方话语霸权反思西方学者对岛屿地区的历史认识,从人地关系的角度切入揭示岛屿历史发展的连续性。其中,帕特里克·克里克和特里·亨特编辑的《太平洋岛屿历史生态学》应算是探讨前殖民时期太平洋岛屿人地关系较早,也较重要的论文集。编者继承了布罗代尔“长时段”的视角特别关注于“人类在岛屿生态系统变迁中所扮演的角色。”[14](p164,p285)该书很好的展示了有关太平洋岛屿人与自然“能动性”概念的理解与认识。但该论文集的一大缺憾是过分依赖人类学实地考察的资料,而忽略了其他学科可供研究的资料以及跨学科的合作。 除此之外,本土学者的研究主题,大致包括:气候变迁与人类社会发展、波利尼西亚人的移民定居、著民的环境观念,以及欧洲人到来之前的农业集约化等。 气候变迁:南太平洋大学地理系教授帕特里克·努恩是本土学者中的杰出代表。早在1990年,努恩教授就已发表《太平洋群岛近来的环境变迁》[15]一文,讨论了地理学的全新世,以及历史学距今150年间的太平洋岛屿地区人与自然的互动关系。1999年,其又出版了《太平洋盆地的环境变迁》一书,应该算是本土学者中研究太平洋区域环境史较早也较为成熟的著作。全书叙述了从前寒武纪到全新世“长时段”间,该区域中气候变化、海平面升降、周期性的干旱对于人类生活的影响。作者认为应该把人类因素与自然因素的互动关系,还原到“长时段”的历史中去加以认识。最后,作者亦指出该领域中有待进一步研究的主题:比如孢粉分析只能反应个体对环境的影响,而不能展现群体对气候变迁的反应,以及森林滥伐与空气中的碳元素含量的关系等等。[16](p308-310) 2000年后,努恩教授的环境史研究有了新进展,认识到“气候变迁”在塑造岛屿文化传统和人类社会历史过程中不可替代的重要作用。2001年他发表了《公元1300年前后太平洋岛屿人类与自然关系》[17](p3-22)一文,作者利用地理学的资料展现不同时期内高低岛屿、沿海低地岛屿与泄湖暗礁三种不同自然环境,下气候变化对人类社会的影响。2003年努恩教授发表《太平洋岛屿的自然—社会互动》[18]在环境史研究上显得更为成熟。作者将前殖民时期的“1300年事件”作为分界点,展现了气候变化在塑造岛屿社会历史文化中重要的作用。作者指出人类在岛屿环境史中并没能发挥改造自然的“能动作用”,反而常常成为极端自然灾害或是环境变迁的受害者。当时该地区人、地关系主要由岛屿当地的自然环境特性与定居者的意识所决定。作者提出移民者给自然带来一种“岛屿生态系统的边缘割裂”:前殖民时期,当地居民并未烧毁或是砍伐低地岛屿上的森林,当地鸟类灭绝纯粹是因为鸟类栖息地受到破坏的后果。文末指出:“人类在太平洋岛屿历史发展过程中具有能动控制作用的说法只是一种自大的发展话语而已。”而岛屿发展中国家往往为了追求经济增长而忽略环境代价。 移民定居:霍金斯·赫尔曼的《南太平洋岛屿共同体定居模式的环境与文化影响》[19]一文,文章主要探讨“大波利尼西亚”文化圈内:新西兰南部岛屿、复活节岛,以及皮特克恩岛群岛是如何在资源耗竭下出现了人口衰退甚至是灭绝的悲惨命运的。文章结论指出:人类文明由环境产生,但不当的文明发展方向又会造成环境破坏反之限制文明的持续发展。因此,未来的决策者应该在政治决策和文化宣传中充分考虑环境破坏所扮演的角色。阿斯勒·安德森在《偏远大洋洲的动物界崩溃、景观变迁与定居历史》[20]中指出:史前时代波利尼西亚人的散居定居模式与南太平洋东、西两侧不同的自然环境条件相结合,导致了太平洋“东部”地区如:物种灭绝、森林滥伐、土壤侵蚀等“人类中心”的环境危机。杰里弗·欧文在《太平洋地区史前开发与定居》[21]一书中,详细叙述和分析了欧洲殖民者到来之前。该区域内史前定居开发状况。展现了当时的岛屿著民是如何在没有地图和相关技术设备下,利用帆船和季风、洋流在太平洋岛屿区域内自东向西的殖民和开发太平洋岛屿的。 著民的环境观念:帕特里克·努恩的《站在神话与现实的交汇点上:太平洋岛屿中的事例》[22](p125-138)作者分别通过对太平洋岛屿“洪水传说”、“火山爆发”,以及“早期移民散居方式”的考察指出“环境骤变事件”是如何在口头传说中留下深深印记,甚至塑造了一个民族文化传统的。作者希望历史学家和科学家能够重视对当地口头传说与神话的应用,在太平洋岛屿环境史的编撰过程中找到神话与现实的交汇点。《自然观念与新卡列多尼亚环境退化的回应》[23](p237-250)考察了著民的自然观念和其思想的多元性。作者通过在当地17个月的田野调查发现:当地人坚信其文化特性是由部族定居的地区的自然环境所决定的。先人的灵魂通过托梦将他们的意识甚至是环境思想传给后代。著民通常反对导致环境破坏的过度开采。而当今的年轻人则更加注重保护本土文化的特性,他们反对欧洲殖民者的经济活动对当地文化的破坏,并希望通过保护自然环境来保存岛屿文化的独立性。 农业集约化:农业生产是反映人与自然互动关系极好的切入点。帕特里克·克里克《湿润与干旱:波利尼西亚的灌溉与农业集约化》抓住波利尼西亚岛国环境中“干旱”与“湿润”两大截然对立的主题,通过两者比较,指出干旱/湿润两大对立因素不仅是当地自然气候重要的特征;也在漫长的历史过程中塑造了岛屿王国对立的文化。[24](p11)其中核心问题是农业技术与劳动力的集约化问题,以及集约化生产方式给王国社会政治发展带来的影响。全书第十一章以”波利尼西亚”中部库克群岛的曼加亚(Mangaia)岛作为案例,通过对当地芋头种植与人类社会“长时段”下进行分析,指出当地自然环境的严酷,迫使了农业集约化的发展。 2、反思“进步观念”与“发展战略” 本土学者通过研究除了认识到岛屿历史的连续性之外,还通过对二战后政治导向的移民、以及城市化过程中的人地关系的考察,对西方统治在太平洋岛屿推行的发展战略进行了较为深刻的反思与批判。 波利尼西亚群岛陆地面积极为狭小,其自然环境的承载力大多无法形成现代意义上的城市。但首府帕皮提(Papeete)所在地,面积最大的塔西提岛却拥有与大陆城市相似的发展环境。从1829年起,殖民者开始在帕皮提兴建城市。罗伯特·斯密特的《法属波利尼西亚的城市化》[25](p71-75)一文指出二战后当地完全模仿西方的城市功能进行的城市化过程。其实本文并不算典型城市环境史研究。虽然涉及塔西提自然地理环境、城市人造环境与人的互动关系,但却未能从岛屿著民的角度出发,分析城市作为一个有机体在运行中产生了怎样的人与人工环境间的关系。维多利亚·洛克武德的《法属波利尼西亚农村发展与再移民》[26](p.347-371)一文指出:二战后向乡下地区的再移民,实际上殖民政府的一种“发展策略”。而这种“发展导向”的移民给当地资源和自然环境承载力带来了极大挑战,因此并不是适宜长期推广的发展策略。除此之外,大卫·祖里克的《保存天堂》[27](p157-172)一文指出,南太平岛屿地区社会面临着严峻的环境问题:资源匮乏、空气、水污染与自然灾害,而资源的有限性决定了岛屿区域在面对环境变迁时的脆弱性。作者指出保护物种多样性与开展生态旅游是岛屿地区有效的环保政策与发展战略。杰勒德·沃德的《南太平洋群岛的未来:天堂、繁荣或是贫困》[28](p1-21)一文,分析了20世纪60年代后,南太平洋岛屿农业与旅游业相结合的未来发展方向。不过,与发掘岛屿历史发展的连续性的研究相比,对西方发展话语和战略的反思仍不够充分。随着全球变暖海平面上升等极端环境问题日益威胁着岛屿人民生活,对于社会环境权力不公正问题的研究,将势必成为未来研究的热点。
三、研究特点与不足
岛屿环境史与其他大陆国家区域环境史相比具有鲜明的特点。 首先,地理上的狭小孤立使相关历史研究天然具有“环境史倾向”。太平洋岛屿最大特点应是文化隔绝与生态脆弱,而正是这一特点使太平洋岛屿人与自然的互动联系比陆地区要紧密和强烈得多。相比政治制度、外交、军事等传统历史中的核心主题来说,气候变迁、自然灾害,显然从古到今都是岛屿历史发展最为核心的主题之一。因此,环境特性决定其历史研究天生就易于环境史视角的展开。如果撰写一部中国历史可以只谈文化传统、政治制度的话,却很难任何一部书写岛屿历史的专著能够忽略布罗代尔长时段中的气候、地理、环境因素的作用。 第二,相关环境史研究揭示了岛屿历史发展的连续而非割裂性。传统的历史认识过分强调了欧洲殖民者的到来对岛屿地区“突变式”的影响。实际上,通过环境史视角的分析,我们会发现物种灭绝、农业集约化与气候对岛屿社会文化的塑造都是岛屿历史中一以贯之的因素,欧洲的殖民影响并没有人们想像的那么巨大。而岛屿太平洋的历史显然是在人与自然环境的互动中延续至今,而非在16世纪后被欧洲殖民者突然打断的。欧洲殖民者的到来只是使得原本著民与自然环境的二维互动,增加了一个“殖民者”维度而已。 第三,岛屿环境史研究揭示了殖民主义影响的有限性——即岛屿太平洋地区其实并不是“新欧洲”。克罗斯比的《生态扩张主义》中分析了大西洋区域中的“幸运诸岛”[29](p66,p291),但在岛屿太平洋区域却只重点分析了澳大利亚和新西兰两个南太平洋中面积“巨大”的岛屿(甚至是陆地)而没有涉及波利尼西亚、密克罗尼西亚等太平洋岛屿区域。然而,本文中所涉及的有关物种交换与生物替代的研究则补充了克罗斯比有关物种交换和生态帝国主义的分析。与克罗斯比论述有所出入的是:欧洲殖民主义在岛屿太平洋地区,即便是一些温带岛屿地区也只造成了非常有限的生态影响。物种灭绝、森林滥发土壤退化等问题早在波利尼西亚人生活的史前时代就已经产生并延续至今。欧洲殖民者并未给岛屿太平洋带来世人想像中的“断裂性”或是“替代性”影响。可见,温带岛屿太平洋地区并不能被算做是克罗斯比笔下所谓的“新欧洲”。也许,该区域与南非的情况比较相似,其内部包含了太多的复杂特殊性,因此克罗斯比没有过多的论述,这也成为有待后来学者继续深入研究的地方。 当然,草创阶段的岛屿太平洋环境史仍有很多不成熟之处。在此,笔者仅就个人认识提出几点幼稚粗浅的设想: 首先,岛屿太平洋的“光荣孤立”有待中观综合。尽管,岛屿分散孤立的自然地理条件,决定相关研究更易向多元案例研究发展,但没有一个岛屿能够挣脱太平洋区域而存在;也就是说研究太平洋岛屿绝不能够忽略区域中乃至区域和全球间的联系。岛屿太平洋区域由于其前殖民经历及宗主国文化传统的差异较大,因此其前宗主国即英国、美国和法国本土的学术研究,极大的影响甚至决定了岛屿地区的研究方向与发展程度。语言和文化上的差异造成诸如美国不易开展对法国海外省(波利尼西亚)的环境史研究等问题。于是,相关研究明显存在“碎化”和凌乱的问题。受到殖民统治的影响,岛屿间原本紧密的网络联系,反而转化为前宗主国或是托管国之间相对“疏远”的关联。可见,在岛屿太平洋环境史研究过程中,不光应鼓励跨学科研究,更需要加强英、美、法等学术强国在跨国、跨文化上的真诚合作。 第二,岛屿环境史研究应立足海洋、强调“区域联系”。蔚蓝的海洋生态系统,已在无形中将太平洋上这些散落如珍珠般的群岛紧密的联系在一起。既有环境史研究大多将陆地作为研究中心,而忽略了海洋生态系统,但是岛屿区域环境史恰恰弥补了这点,并有效将陆地生态系统和水生生态系统整合起来。而海洋区域联系是优越于传统的大陆环境史研究的。可见岛屿太平洋区域环境史研究,呼吁更多立足“海洋”网络联系而非“岛屿”立锥之地的中观综合性研究。 第三,岛屿环境史研究缺乏对现实环境问题及社会公正等问题的关照。包茂宏教授在《南非环境史研究综述》[30](p23)中指出:南非环境史从一开始就紧扣住环境变迁与种族关系的主题,把环境问题与经济利益、阶级关系和政治发展结合起来进行综合分析。然而,既有岛屿研究中显然缺乏这种关照。其实,城市化进程、被迫卷入世界资本主义市场、太平洋战争、1950年代后在该区域进行的核武器试验,显然都给当地带来了严峻的环境权力不公正问题,因此从社会环境史的角度对岛屿太平洋环境史进行充分的研究是十分必要的。当今,全球变暖、海平面上升,更使得岛屿太平洋地区受到全世界学者前所未有的关注。因此,对现实问题的关注必将是岛屿环境史未来研究的热点之一。 综上所述,岛屿太平洋的环境史研究应该尚处艰辛的开创阶段。但不可否认岛屿太平洋环境史研究具有史学本身和现实的双重意义。在史学发展上,岛屿环境史通过人与自然互动关系的视角展现了太平洋岛屿历史发展的连续性;将殖民主义还原到应有的历史位置上;有助于著民书写真正属于自己的历史。在现实生活中,岛屿著民日益认识到自身自然环境、历史文化的独特性,反思西方所谓的发展战略努力找寻适于自身可持续发展的道路。同时,面对日益恶化的全球变暖等气候问题,岛屿环境史研究也有助于著民争取自身应有的环境权力。更进一步,岛屿区域其实也是全球生态系统的一个缩影,通过岛屿区域的环境史研究,促使学者们认识到区域乃至全球联系在历史编撰中的重要性。笔者相信:随着世界环境史以及太平洋区域研究的日益博兴,岛屿太平洋区域环境史研究将会拥有更为广阔、光明的未来,而岛屿环境史的发展也势必会为为人类的历史认识贡献良多。
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作者简介 王 玉, 北京大学历史学系硕士研究生 (北京,100871)。
①作者注:在此使用“岛屿太平洋”(Island Pacific)这一概念,主要希望强调区域联系性。由于本文主要探讨太平洋区域中波利尼西亚群岛,包括海洋(Pacific Ocean)与岛屿(Pacific islands)间联系相关的环境史研究,故此借用著名环境史学家约翰·麦克尼尔在《老鼠与人——岛屿太平洋环境史概要》中提出的“岛屿太平洋”环境史的说法。

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