In order to live alongside pollution in China, people opt to ‘unnotice’ it. In this open lecture with Anthropologist Loretta Lou, she will introduce the “art of unnoticing” pollution as a deliberate act in the face of environmental issues and discuss what this means for environmental justice.

In many parts of China, petrochemical plants are situated adjacent to residential areas. Despite this proximity, local residents seem to be indifferent to the threat of toxic pollution and chemical explosions, even though they are aware of the dangers. In this open lecture, Anthropologist Loretta Lou explores the phenomenon through what she calls the "art of unnoticing," a deliberate form of ignorance that enables individuals to live with the reality of pollution and reclaim their agency in the face of the unavoidable. Reflecting on this, she examines the limitations and complexity of global environmental justice when willful ignorance is at work.

Loretta I.T. Lou is Assistant Professor in Social Anthropology at Durham University. She has a DPhil in Anthropology from Oxford University and her research specializes in the study of environment, wellbeing, healing, and social movements in East Asia. She is currently the Degree Director for Global & Planetary Health and Medical Anthropology at Durham University.

The lecture is conducted in English and is open to all. 

This event, organized by the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies at Lund University, is a special edition of the Perspective Asia Lecture series for Lund Sustainability Week 2024, an annual event organized in collaboration between Lund University and Lund Municipality. In this year's program April 8-13, you will find lectures, workshops, guided tours, exhibitions, and more.

See full program at hallbarhet.lu.se