Toxic Heritage: An Introduction

Abstract

The intersections and frictions among the contributions raised important issues and illuminated emerging lines of inquiry into toxic heritage. The shadow of toxic heritage now extends in a quite material sense across every continent and community. The consideration of toxic heritage as a planetary phenomenon highlights the scale and complexity of issues that transcend the typical national boundaries and chronologies of heritage. Instead, toxic heritage must consider eco-centric narratives and account for “the great acceleration” of the post-WWII years. “Framing toxicity” explores fundamental issues of conceptualizing environmental harm as heritage including considerations of the nature of toxicity and its implications for understanding human heritage in the Anthropocene. “Approaches and Interventions” highlights the ways in which individuals, organizations, and industries operate in the creation and enduring consequences of toxicity, including reflections on the role of heritage studies and organizations in the construction of toxic heritage.