Killing us with slow poison: Organising infrastructural violence and work at an internal frontier
This research focuses on the experiences of people living in an internal frontier of global capitalism, located near the Pirana landfill in Ahmedabad, India. The study examines how infrastructural violence, both state-sanctioned and privately organized, creates socio-economic ruination for residents of Basti, an informal settlement. The paper explores how residents cope with these conditions through reparative infrastructural work, salvaging and patching together their environment to survive amidst toxic, neglectful infrastructure.
Overview
The paper investigates the lived realities of residents in Basti, where socio-economic violence is compounded by exposure to environmental toxicity. It highlights how state and private actors perpetuate conditions of infrastructural violence, such as exclusions from public infrastructure, the proliferation of private infrastructures, and the exposure to hazardous waste. Additionally, the paper examines the forms of reparative work that residents engage in to mitigate the effects of these compounded violence dynamics.
Method
The study employs ethnographic methods, including interviews, field observations, and documentary analysis, conducted with 39 participants. This includes residents of Basti, politicians, activists, doctors, and factory owners, gathered through multiple rounds of fieldwork from 2019 to 2024. Data collection also involved surveys of households in the area, revealing key insights into health issues and socio-economic challenges faced by the community.
Findings
Key findings from the ongoing research include:
- Infrastructural Violence: Basti residents face the brunt of infrastructural violence, such as inadequate access to water, healthcare, and education. The lack of basic services is exacerbated by their proximity to the Pirana landfill, leading to severe health consequences like respiratory issues, gastrointestinal diseases, and chronic illnesses.
- Reparative Infrastructural Work: Despite the harsh conditions, residents engage in salvaging and patching work. Salvaging involves recycling materials like plastic and oil, while patching is the relational work done by individuals to secure basic necessities like water and healthcare. These efforts, while crucial to survival, remain largely unrecognized by the state or civil society.
- Social and Economic Ruination: The paper explores how socio-economic ruination is enacted through the denial of opportunities for employment, healthcare, and education. Many residents face discrimination in the labor market, with Muslim communities being especially marginalized. The impact of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom continues to haunt survivors, who live with the aftermath of both physical and emotional trauma.
Research Team
Dr Vijay, Devi (Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta)
Dr Abrar Ali Saiyed (Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow)