06 Apr 2022

Decomposition as Life Politics

How can soil stewardship offer alternative frameworks for living and dying amidst violence and environmental harm in the U.S.-Colombia war on drugs.

This talk explores how soil stewardship can provide alternative perspectives on resilience and survival, especially in regions affected by conflict and environmental damage. It highlights the ways in which life endures amidst the challenges posed by militarized development and environmental poisoning, such as those seen during the U.S.-Colombia war on drugs. The discussion emphasizes the struggle for flourishing and well-being in toxic landscapes, offering insights into how soil care can shape new understandings of living, dying, and community resilience in difficult circumstances.

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Dr. Kristina Lyons is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and with the Penn Program in Environmental Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds affiliations with the Center for Experimental Ethnography and the Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies. Kristina’s current research is situated at the interfaces of socio-ecological conflicts, science, and legal studies in Colombia and Latin America. Her manuscript, Vital Decomposition: Soil Practitioners and Life Politics (Duke 2020), was awarded honorable mention by the Bryce Wood Book Award committee from the Latin American Studies Association. She has also collaborated on the creation of soundscapes, street performances, photographic essays, graphic novels, popular education audiovisual projects, community radio programs, digital storytelling platforms, and various forms of literary writing.