This book takes unique and much-needed bottom-up approach to teaching ecological economics, using case studies that focus on a wide range of internationally relevant topics, to teach the principles, concepts and tools of ecological economics and political ecology. Existing introductory books on ecological economics are oriented toward graduate level students with previous training in economics. They are also organized from first principles with emphasis on theory. This book evolved out of dissatisfaction with the absence of learning materials grounded in real-life situations, and of awareness of the inaccessibility of existing materials. This is particularly true with regard to those Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) that have recognised the value that ecological economics and political ecology tools and methods hold for their research and advocacy work. Designed to fill these gaps, this book is based on case studies chosen by CSOs on the basis of relevance to their work, and developed collaboratively with leading ecological economists. The case studies are accompanied by a glossary designed to complement and expand on the knowledge presented in the case studies, also written with significant CSO input.