Global Burning: Rising Antidemocracy and the Climate Crisis

232 Pages·2022·7.571 MB·English

by  Eve Darian-Smith

“Global Burning is as powerful as it is succinct. Eve Darian-
Smith writes with urgent clarity and conceptual richness as she
grapples with some of the most pressing issues of our times.
Global Burning is a very teachable book—truly interdisciplinary
and international in reach.”
— rob nixon, author of Slow Violence and
the Environmentalism of the Poor
“Global Burning is a brilliant analysis of how a range of
anti- democratic trends can be viewed through the lens
of catastrophic wildfi res across the globe. If you want to
understand how to analyze and become involved in a politics
of collective resistance aimed at saving both the planet and
democracy itself, this is the book to read.”
— henry giroux, author of Race, Politics, and
Pandemic Pedagogy
“The threat of extinction is real and immediate, but Eve
Darian-S mith rightfully warns that it cannot be eff ectively
thwarted unless we link the fi ght for environmental survival
with the struggles against global, class, racial, and gender
inequalities. A persuasive, solidly documented work.”
— walden bello, co-f ounder of Focus on the Global South
and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award
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GLOBAL BURNING
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Global
Burning
Rising Antidemocracy and the Climate Crisis
E V E DA R I A N - S M I T H
STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Stanford, California
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stanford university press
Stanford, California
© 2022 by Eve Darian-Smith. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system without the
prior written permission of Stanford University Press.
Printed in the United States of America on acid- free, archival- quality
paper
isbn 9781503631083 (paper)
isbn 9781503631465 (ebook)
Library of Congress Control Number 2021055739
CIP data available upon request
Cover design: Rob Ehle
Cover photo: Mural in Chivary, Peru. Eric Hirsch
Text design: Kevin Barret Kane
Typeset by Motto Publishing Services in 10/14 ITC Galliard Pro
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To my dearest mum, Pammie, who slowly faded
away across the ocean amid massive bushfi res
and then months of lockdown, as I wrote this book.
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CONTENTS
List of Figures
xi
Preface
xiii
chapter 1
Fire as Omen: Introduction
1
chapter 2
Fire as Profi t: Global Corporations Rule
35
chapter 3
Fire as Weapon: Rising Global Authoritarianism
67
chapter 4
Fire as Death: Violent Environmental Racism
97
chapter 5
Fire as Disruption: Conclusion
125
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