Colonization, Anthropocene and the Planetary Crisis: A Reading of Amitav Ghosh’s The Nutmeg’s Curse
Keywords:
Anthropocene, climate change, colonization, planetary crisis, ecologyAbstract
The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for A Planet in Crisis (2021) explores how European colonization and capitalism shaped the ecological perception of the Banda archipelago. The central notion of The Nutmeg’s Curse posits that the present-day dynamics of climate change can be traced back to a long-established geopolitical system forged through Western colonialism. To Ghosh, this is a distinctive mode of warfare, fundamentally conflictual and uncanny, often marked by brutality and barbarism. The contrasting attitudes and practices towards the land by the natives and the colonizer ultimately led to significant environmental and cultural impacts. The planet is currently gripped by the intensity and complexity of the anthropogenic activities. The Nutmeg’s Curse serves as a transformative parable that offers hope, inspiration, and practical guidance for addressing the planetary crisis.
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