Planetary Specters

Race, Migration, and Climate Change in the Twenty-First Century

By Neel Ahuja | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

Neel Ahuja tracks the figure of the climate refugee in public media and policy over the past decade, arguing that journalists, security experts, politicians, and nongovernmental organizations have often oversimplified climate change and obfuscated the processes that drive mass migration. To understand the systemic reasons for displacement, Ahuja argues, it is necessary to reframe climate disaster as interlinked with the history of capitalism and the global politics of race, wherein racist presumptions about agrarian underdevelopment and Indigenous knowledge mask how financial, development, migration, and climate adaptation policies reproduce growing inequalities.

Drawing on the work of Cedric Robinson and theories of racial capitalism, Ahuja considers how the oil industry transformed the economic and geopolitical processes that lead to displacement. From South Asia to the Persian Gulf, Europe, and North America, Ahuja studies how Asian trade, finance, and labor connections have changed the nature of race, borders, warfare, and capitalism since the 1970s. Ultimately, Ahuja argues that only by reckoning with how climate change emerges out of longer histories of race, colonialism, and capitalism can we begin to build a sustainable and just future for those most affected by environmental change.

Editions of Planetary Specters

Hardcover
ISBN 9781469664460
Paperback
ISBN 9781469664477
EBook
ISBN 9781469664491
EBook
ISBN 9798890861894
EBook
ISBN 9781469664484
PDF
ISBN 9798890861887

Read an Excerpt

Neel Ahuja tracks the figure of the climate refugee in public media and policy over the past decade, arguing that journalists, security experts, politicians, and nongovernmental organizations have often oversimplified climate change and obfuscated the processes that drive mass migration. To understand the systemic reasons for displacement, Ahuja argues, it is necessary to reframe climate disaster as interlinked with the history of capitalism and the global politics of race, wherein racist presumptions about agrarian underdevelopment and Indigenous knowledge mask how financial, development, migration, and climate adaptation policies reproduce growing inequalities.

Drawing on the work of Cedric Robinson and theories of racial capitalism, Ahuja considers how the oil industry transformed the economic and geopolitical processes that lead to displacement. From South Asia to the Persian Gulf, Europe, and North America, Ahuja studies how Asian trade, finance, and labor connections have changed the nature of race, borders, warfare, and capitalism since the 1970s. Ultimately, Ahuja argues that only by reckoning with how climate change emerges out of longer histories of race, colonialism, and capitalism can we begin to build a sustainable and just future for those most affected by environmental change.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Planetary Specters about?

Neel Ahuja tracks the figure of the climate refugee in public media and policy over the past decade, arguing that journalists, security experts, politicians, and nongovernmental organizations have often oversimplified climate change and obfuscated the processes that drive mass migration. To understand the systemic reasons for displacement, Ahuja argues, it is necessary to reframe climate disaster as interlinked with the history of capitalism and the global politics of race, wherein racist presumptions about agrarian underdevelopment and Indigenous knowledge mask how financial, development, migration, and climate adaptation policies reproduce growing inequalities.

Drawing on the work of Cedric Robinson and theories of racial capitalism, Ahuja considers how the oil industry transformed the economic and geopolitical processes that lead to displacement. From South Asia to the Persian Gulf, Europe, and North America, Ahuja studies how Asian trade, finance, and labor connections have changed the nature of race, borders, warfare, and capitalism since the 1970s. Ultimately, Ahuja argues that only by reckoning with how climate change emerges out of longer histories of race, colonialism, and capitalism can we begin to build a sustainable and just future for those most affected by environmental change.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Planetary Specters?

Earth Sciences, Geography, Environment, Planning > The environment > Pollution and threats to the environment > Climate change

Where can I read a sample of Planetary Specters?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469664460

How long is Planetary Specters and how many pages does it have?

Planetary Specters has 224 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Planetary Specters?

Neel Ahuja

Who is the Publisher of the book Planetary Specters?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Planetary Specters is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469664460) and paperback(ISBN 9781469664477) and ebook(ISBN 9781469664491) and ebook(ISBN 9798890861894) and ebook(ISBN 9781469664484) and pdf(ISBN 9798890861887)

Where can I buy Planetary Specters online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Planetary Specters from below

Where can I buy Planetary Specters?