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Disrupting the Universality of the Anthropocene with Perspectives from the Asia Pacific

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International Relations in the Anthropocene

Abstract

The universalising tendency of the Anthropocene as a concept overshadows the injustices and inequalities in human history. Those most responsible for the causes of the Anthropocene are less likely to bear the brunt of its consequences, while those who are least responsible are the most vulnerable. Furthermore, the unsustainable conditions in the Anthropocene may amplify present injustices and inequalities between and within societies. This chapter adds to the critical analysis of the Anthropocene by highlighting the Asia-Pacific region. The Asia Pacific tells more than a single ‘Asia-Pacific story’. Its diversity reflects the heterogeneity of the Anthropos—of humanity in the Anthropocene. By demonstrating its distinctiveness compared to other regions this chapter aims to disrupt universal narratives about human-nature relationality, attesting to the plurality of the Anthropocene. Without falling into regional exceptionalism, drawing on different regional perspectives allows us to make sense of the complexity of the Anthropocene.

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Acknowledgement

This chapter is derived in part from “Situating the Asia Pacific in the Age of the Anthropocene”. Australian Journal of International Affairs 73(6), 2019, copyright Australian Institute of International Affairs, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10357718.2019.1657794.

Key Points

  1. 1.

    Political, economic, and cultural hegemonies born out of colonialism and industrialisation shape the experiences of inequalities and vulnerability in the Anthropocene.

  2. 2.

    The colonisation of Asia-Pacific countries stunted or delayed their capacity for climate change adaptability and resilience.

  3. 3.

    The Asia-Pacific region experiences the greatest pressure to reduce its emissions while ensuring that immediate economic and welfare needs are met.

  4. 4.

    Ecologically sound values and practices, such as those found in the Asia Pacific, could inform global yet locally contextualised efforts to manage, adapt, and respond to the challenges in the Anthropocene.

  5. 5.

    The Asia Pacific is a site of hierarchies and inequalities—a testament to the multitude of experiences in the Anthropocene.

Key Questions

  1. 1.

    How did European colonisation shape the Asia-Pacific experience in the Anthropocene?

  2. 2.

    Why is the Asia Pacific a regional site for the multitude of experiences in the Anthropocene?

  3. 3.

    What can be done to prevent the instrumentalisation and decimation of indigenous agency?

  4. 4.

    Is a regional category sufficient to disrupt the universalising tendencies of the Anthropocene discourse?

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan

    Dahlia Simangan

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  1. Dahlia Simangan
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Correspondence to Dahlia Simangan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster, London, UK

    David Chandler

  2. Department of Social Sciences, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Franziska Müller

  3. Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Delf Rothe

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Simangan, D. (2021). Disrupting the Universality of the Anthropocene with Perspectives from the Asia Pacific. In: Chandler, D., Müller, F., Rothe, D. (eds) International Relations in the Anthropocene. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53014-3_15

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