Ecologies of actor-networks and (non)social labor within the urban political economies of nature

摘要: Abstract On September 16th, 2005 the United States began restricting entry of commodities shipped from abroad in wood packaging materials that do not conform to phytosanitation measures meant prevent spread pests and pathogens. This action results expensive lessons learned as global commerce facilitates pandemics like Dutch elm disease. Marxist political ecology is well suited investigate such scenarios with its emphasis on social production nature within accumulation regimes. Some scholars contend, however, accounts contradictions result nature’s commodification relegate nonhuman organisms an apolitical role environmental transformation while reinforcing nature/society dichotomy. Often viewed antithetical Marxism, actor-network theory or ANT emphasizes ability actants (both human nonhuman) enroll other into heterogeneous assemblages networks. Thus, it claimed can be attributed ontological status processes change, much their counterparts. Despite this apparent theoretical discord, ecologists are increasingly integrating aspects both Marx analyses. But a more explicit articulation basis epistemic import synthesis warranted. paper therefore prioritizes links labor these theories order expand definition urban politics include organisms. By demonstrating laboring capacity disease networks economy, epistemology thus expanded.