Discards of sovereignty : an analysis of the biopolitical machinery of waste in Beirut

Kumarasamy, Ana and Mabon, Simon (2024) Discards of sovereignty : an analysis of the biopolitical machinery of waste in Beirut. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

Sovereign power conditions the politics of waste through formal and informal regulation, such as legal frameworks and clientelist networks. These mechanisms of control have resulted in the political exclusion and marginalisation of others and the destruction of ecosystems. In contested urban spaces (CUS) especially, waste may be used to regulate and control any non-dominant groups through the establishment of hostile environments, threatening their quality of life. Due to the unequal power relations, the quality life of others who are politically excluded is particularly at stake. If unchecked, these mechanisms of sovereign power can thrive leading to marginalisation, suppression, and segregation. This research focuses on the intersection of biopolitics, waste, and contested urban spaces, exploring how sovereign power regulates and controls people and the environment through waste. Specifically, this thesis proposes a conceptual framework – the biopolitical machinery of waste – which synthesises biopolitics, the politics of waste, and contested urban spaces. It provides a holistic approach to the socio-political and material ordering of waste by sovereignties and wastes impact on urban spaces. The framework is applied to the case study of Beirut, which has faced a waste crisis for over 25 years that has been facilitated by sovereign power, sectarian politics, and the power sharing system. It is used to analyse the intersectional and pluralistic nature of waste- related issues in Beirut and emphasises the need for a more comprehensive approach to waste that considers sovereign power. Ultimately, this research shed light on the multifaceted ways in which sovereign power regulates and controls people and the environment through waste.