This book investigates the complex intersection of human social conflict and wildlife management through the lens of a proposed wolf reintroduction program in Japan. John B. Knight, an anthropologist specializing in human-wildlife relations, utilizes extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted in rural Japanese communities to challenge the purely biological view of pestilence. He argues that wildlife conflicts are fundamentally social issues, where the presence or absence of animals serves as a symbolic proxy for deeper tensions regarding rural decline, land use, and cultural identity.

Scholars in the field of environmental anthropology frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the social dimensions of conservation policy. Readers often note the academic rigor and the nuanced approach the author takes in balancing ecological concerns with the lived realities of rural populations.