Alastair McIntosh
Encyclopedia
Alastair McIntosh is a Scottish writer, academic and activist.
He was brought up in Leurbost
on the Isle of Lewis and is married to Vérène Nicolas. He is involved with Scottish land reform
especially on Eigg
and campaigned successfully against the Harris superquarry in Lingerbay
. He is a fellow of the Centre for Human Ecology, an Honorary Fellow of the Schumacher Society, and helped to set up the Govan
based GalGael Trust
of which he is Treasurer and a non-executive director. In 2006 he was appointed to the honorary position of Visiting Professor of Human Ecology at the University of Strathclyde
(Department of Geography & Sociology) - the first such post in Human ecology
in a Scottish university.
Alastair also features on Nizlopi
's mini album 'Extraordinary' on the track titled 'Homage To Young Men'.
approved the award of PhD by Published Work based on Soil and Soul and twelve supporting publications presented with a short linking thesis, 'Some Contributions of Liberation Theology to Community Empowerment in Scottish Land Reform 1991-2003'. Parts of this were published in 2008 as Schumacher Briefing No. 15: 'Rekindling Community: Connecting People, Environment and Spirituality'.
"Hell and High Water: Climate Change, Hope and the Human Condition" was described by Michael Russell MSP, Minister for the Environment in the Scottish Government as "a profoundly important book, just as Soil and Soul was a profoundly important book."
He was brought up in Leurbost
Leurbost
Leurbost is a village on the east coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is approximately 6 miles south of Stornoway on the road to Harris. It is the main settlement in the area of the island known as North Lochs...
on the Isle of Lewis and is married to Vérène Nicolas. He is involved with Scottish land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
especially on Eigg
Eigg
Eigg is one of the Small Isles, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With an area of , it is the second largest of the Small Isles after Rùm.-Geography:The main...
and campaigned successfully against the Harris superquarry in Lingerbay
Lingerbay
Lingerbay in Harris, Scotland, was the subject of one of the Western Isles's longest controversies ....
. He is a fellow of the Centre for Human Ecology, an Honorary Fellow of the Schumacher Society, and helped to set up the Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
based GalGael Trust
GalGael Trust
GalGael Trust has become a well known landmark on Scotland's community regeneration landscape.Based in Govan, Glasgow, near to the River Clyde, once known around the world for its shipbuilding. They have become best known for building and sailing wooden boats in celebration of Scotland's heritage...
of which he is Treasurer and a non-executive director. In 2006 he was appointed to the honorary position of Visiting Professor of Human Ecology at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
(Department of Geography & Sociology) - the first such post in Human ecology
Human ecology
Human ecology is the subdiscipline of ecology that focuses on humans. More broadly, it is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social, and built environments. The term 'human ecology' first appeared in a sociological study in 1921...
in a Scottish university.
Alastair also features on Nizlopi
Nizlopi
Nizlopi were a two-piece band, from 1993–2010, with Luke Concannon on vocals, guitar, and bodhrán, and John Parker on double bass, human beatbox, and providing backing vocals. They were based in Leamington Spa, England. Prior to attending Trinity Catholic Technology College, Luke and John...
's mini album 'Extraordinary' on the track titled 'Homage To Young Men'.
Education
He holds a BSc in Geography, submajoring in moral philosophy and psychology from the University of Aberdeen (1977), a financial MBA from the University of Edinburgh (1981), and in 2008 the Academy of Irish Cultural Heritages (of which he is a Visiting Fellow) at the University of UlsterUniversity of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
approved the award of PhD by Published Work based on Soil and Soul and twelve supporting publications presented with a short linking thesis, 'Some Contributions of Liberation Theology to Community Empowerment in Scottish Land Reform 1991-2003'. Parts of this were published in 2008 as Schumacher Briefing No. 15: 'Rekindling Community: Connecting People, Environment and Spirituality'.
Publications
His best-known work is his 2001 book Soil and Soul: People Versus Corporate Power. In 2006 he published his collected poetry, Love and Revolution. His 2008 book on the psychology and spirituality underlying climate changeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
"Hell and High Water: Climate Change, Hope and the Human Condition" was described by Michael Russell MSP, Minister for the Environment in the Scottish Government as "a profoundly important book, just as Soil and Soul was a profoundly important book."
External links
- AlastairMcIntosh.com - includes most writings and links to Soil & Soul and Love & Revolution
- Sunday Herald & Sunday Times Profiles
- The Power of Love (Nonviolence)
- Centre for Human Ecology - including MSc degree course
- Vérène Nicolas's website