Whales: large, mysterious, intelligent, and endangered. Over the years, large-scale commercial whaling has gradually devoured several species, resulting in a global moratorium issued by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986. Current debate centers on the validity of this ban given strong opposition from whaling communities in Norway and Japan, Iceland's withdrawal from the IWC, and reputed recovery of some whale populations.
The International Politics of Whaling is a fascinating study of the politics, environmental dilemmas, and ethical questions surrounding this highly controversial issue. Peter Stoett seeks to clarify the multidimensional nature of whaling as well as its relation to other crucial environmental concerns such as ozone depletion, global warming, and marine pollution. Stoett combines a sensitivity to ecological questions with a hard assessment of the political realities of the international community in order to assess this important issue.

1 Ecopolitics: The International Dimension

2 The Whale and the Whaler

3 Cetapolitics: The IWC, Foreign Policies, and NGOs

4 Whale Ethics: A Normative Discussion

5 Conclusion: Whales and World Politics

Appendices

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Peter Stoett is a specialist in international environmental politics and is currently teaching at Brock University. He is the author of Atoms, Whales, and Rivers: Global Environmental Security and International Organization (1995).