糖心破解版

Modern society faces multiple crises: climate change, pandemics, natural disasters, and social isolation. This groundbreaking academic work, Crisis Gardening: A Global Perspective, explores the potential of “gardening”—specifically crisis gardening—as a practice that people engage in during such times of upheaval. By repositioning gardening—often regarded simply as a hobby or a means of food security—as central to public health, local communities, and the transformation of sustainable food systems, the book presents practical approaches to tackling today’s global challenges. Drawing on case studies from around the world, it argues that gardening provides broad socio-ecological benefits: enhancing psychological well-being, building social capital, and conserving biodiversity. For students beginning studies in environmental science, sociology, public health, or related fields, this book offers an accessible introduction to the value of interdisciplinary thinking.
 
The book’s academic significance lies in connecting gardening to concepts such as “agroecology” and “transformative change in food systems.” It shows that gardening in times of crisis can serve not just as a temporary coping strategy, but as a social movement that drives fundamental change toward more just and sustainable food systems. This perspective provides a theoretical framework for rethinking crises—not only as “threats,” but as “opportunities to create a better society.”
 
A particular strength of the book is its wide range of case studies drawn from different regions, societies, and crises. It highlights, for example, urban gardening in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic; gardening from a decolonial perspective in South Africa; home gardening in Chile during lockdowns; and urban resilience efforts following an earthquake in New Zealand. These cases allow readers to see both universal lessons that transcend context and region-specific challenges that must be addressed locally.
 
Chapter 11, Community Gardens as a Source of Social Capital for Earthquake Preparedness: Case Studies from Old Neighborhoods in Kobe, Japan—authored by the reviewer—focuses on Kobe City, which experienced the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. It demonstrates how community gardens function not only as spaces for cultivating crops, but also as vital infrastructure for building social capital that strengthens earthquake preparedness.
 
Ultimately, agricultural practices hold vast and multifaceted potential to shape our collective future. This book invites readers to reflect on how their own fields of study connect with gardening and to consider what contributions they might make in an era where crises are not exceptional, but ongoing.
 

(Written by SHIMPO Naomi, Associate Professor, Center for Spatial Information Science / 2025)