Overview

Synthesizing critical perspectives on the impact of disasters in regard to social inequality, this book brings together key insights from political ecology and historical materialism. Querying assumptions about the “normal” conditions of life, it examines the exploitative structures and practices that shape everyday life using theoretical approaches including Rhythmanalysis, Metabolic Rift Theory, and Conjunctural Analysis . It argues that disasters are intimately linked to historical processes that foster contemporary unequal relationships, and should therefore include both those commonly associated with nature as well as those we consider facets of history and social conflict, such as war and destitution.

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9781836950011

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“This is a theoretically rich and well thought- through book. It is a welcome intervention in the small subfield of disaster studies in anthropology and sociology.” • Steve Matthewman, University of Auckland

Author Information

Raja Swamy is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee, with a focus on disasters, political economy, development, social justice and climate change. He is the author of Building Back Better in India (University of Alabama, 2021) and Capitalism and Catastrophe (Berghahn, 2025.).

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