Toxins Pervading Post-Industrial Ecology in John Burnside's Glister

Abstract

There has been a tendency to demarcate disasters as natural or human-induced. However, in the age of the Anthropocene where humans take an active role in shaping the Earth’s geology and ecology, there are no such distinctions between the two, but a complex relationship between nature and culture, humans and their societal, governmental and economic policies over the fate of the world. In such a world, disasters affect the poor, disadvantaged, and marginal communities more than the rich, advantaged, and affluent communities. Therefore, this article will analyse John Burnside’s book, Glister, through the lens of environmental (in)justice concept, endeavor to shed light upon the multi-faceted nature of environmental problems and underline the need for collaborative approach via the example of the poor townspeople’s exposure to the chemical toxins in the novel.