American zoo : a sociological safari / David Grazian.

"Trading in his tweed jacket for a zoo uniform and a pair of muddy workboots, Grazian introduces us to zookeepers and animal rights activists, parents and toddlers, and the other human primates that make up the zoo's social world. He shows that in a major shift away from their unfortunate pasts, American zoos now emphasize naturalistic exhibits teeming with lush and immersive landscapes, breeding programs for endangered pasts, and enrichment activities for their captive creatures. In doing so, zoos blur the imaginary boundaries we regularly use to separate culture from nature, humans from animals, and civilization from the wild."--Book jacket.