Is Racism an Environmental Threat?

Debating Race

by Ghassan Hage

The ecological crisis is the most overwhelming to have ever faced humanity and its consequences permeate every domain of life. This trenchant book examines its relation to Islamophobia as the dominant form of racism today, showing how both share roots in domination, colonialism, and the logics of capitalism. Ghassan Hage proposes that both racism and humanity’s destructive relationship with the environment emanate from the same mode of inhabiting the an occupying force imposes its own interest as law, subordinating others for the extraction of value, eradicating or exterminating what gets in the way. In connecting these two issues, Hage gives voice to the claim taking shape in many activist spaces that anti-racist and ecological struggles are intrinsically related. In both, the aim is to move beyond what makes us see otherness, whether human or nonhuman, as something that exists solely to be managed.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Race, Politics, Anthropology, Theory, Social Science

140 pages, Paperback

Published May 30, 2017

About the author

Ghassan J. Hage is a Lebanese-Australian academic serving as Future Generation Professor of Anthropology at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Reviews

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the whole, I really enjoy Hage's writing and thinking. I have to say, though, that while much of this book is thought-provoking and even exhilarating, the profound silence created through his lack of engagement with Indigenous scholarship is very disappointing. It's typical to engage with Hobbes, Marx, Foucault, and Agamben--but how can you write a multi-chapter work about colonialism, racism, and environmental degradation in Australia and the US (and elsewhere) and NOT incorporate Indigenous thinkers? At the very least, Aileen Moreton-Robinson's work ought to come up (maybe instead of the pope?), but also Kyle Whyte, Eve Tuck, Taiake Alfred, Bruce Pascoe, Irene Watson, Mary Graham, Daniel Wildcat etc etc etc.

[Lien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dense, but incredibly interesting.

[Yalin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel as Hage has written something that is trying to discuss racism, capitalism, and environmental crisis aiming to demonstrate a connection between the three, and has failed at it spectacularly. Sure the book contains pieces of wisdom and insight here and there that can be seen as valuable, but the three main topics never seem to be connected directly, only through analogy and similarity. Furthermore, the paragraphs run on and on, and it feels that entire passages are dissociated within themselves. The writing is in no way clear or straightforward, it is better called tedious.

If you are able take any major idea or insight about racism as an environmental concern, then you deserve a pat on the back, because you have done the incredible (at least in my opinion).

[Ben Bakker · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Hage's fantastic reasoning, I'm convinced it is. Through critical analysis, this essay-style book exposes the seeming 'mutual exclusivity' of racism and environmental overexploitation as a falshood. Instead, he argues that they share a common cause in humanity's manner of inhabiting the world; an occupying force subordinating others for the extraction of value.
This book tackles complex and intricate concepts in a clear and structured manner making it accessible for any interested reader. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

[Samira]

-have read the intro and first chapter, very clear and well-written. Love the way he positions his argument; able to respond to arguments without sounding defensive or devoting too much of his time to it.

[Janine W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting "food for thought"-style essays.

[Irini 이리니 Thalassinou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

Δεν μπορεί κανείς σήμερα να είναι αντιρατσιστής χωρίς να είναι οικολόγος, και το αντίστροφο.

Κάτω από ένα καθεστώς που κυριαρχείται από μια έντονη ανησυχία για τη "ζωή", γιατί ζούμε εμείς και αυτά πεθαίνουν;

Ο ρατσισμός, δηλαδή, δεν έχει μια εξωτερική (αιτιώδη) σχέση με την περιβαλλοντική κρίση, αλλά είναι περιβαλλοντική απειλή, γιατί ενισχύει και αναπαράγει την κυριαρχία των βασικών κοινωνικών δομών που βρίσκονται πίσω από τη δημιουργία της περιβαλλοντικής κρίσης - που είναι οι δομές πίσω και από τη δική του δημιουργία.