IASH proudly presents the launch of a bold new book from Dr Dipali Mathur, Available to be Poisoned: Toxicity as a Form of Life (Lexington Books 2022).
In Available to Be Poisoned: Toxicity as a Form of Life, Dipali Mathur contends that the saturation of the planet with toxic chemicals marks a deliberate and violent relationship with the Earth and its "others," born of colonialism and capitalism’s entwined histories. Mathur offers the concept of "toxicity as a form of life" to signpost the normalization of toxic exposure and analyzes how states use toxicity to control populations on the fringes of our global political economy by making them available to be poisoned.
Dr Mathur completed her PhD in Environmental Humanities from the University of Wollongong (UOW) Australia in 2022 under the supervision of Professor Ian Buchanan. She was awarded the “Examiners’ Commendation for Outstanding Thesis Award” by UOW. She is also the recipient of an Honorary Fellowship at UOW Australia for the period 2022-2023, and Digital Scholarship Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Edinburgh's Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities 2022-23. Her current areas of research interest include the impact of toxicity, waste and pollution on marginalized communities and the environment, de/postcolonial studies, posthumanism, discourses of the Anthropocene, policy and governance, and digital cultures. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in English Literature (with distinction) from the University of Delhi, India and then went on to teach English Literature and Critical Theory at the University of Delhi as Assistant Professor (ad-hoc) of English for three years from 2013-2015.
The book launch will be followed by a drinks reception. Register to attend at: https://dipalimathur.eventbrite.co.uk
Please note that this event will take place on the first floor of the Institute. IASH does not currently have a lift or an accessible toilet, so attendees with mobility issues should contact iash@ed.ac.uk to discuss their requirements.