Whales: large, mysterious, intelligent, and endangered. Over the years, large-scale commercial whaling has gradually devoured several species, resulting in a global moratorium issues 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 frm 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...