Glyphosate and the Swirl: An Agroindustrial Chemical on the Move

Vincanne Adams' book "Glyphosate and the Swirl" examines the controversial chemical glyphosate and its various uses, exploring the scientific and political debates surrounding its toxicity. It depicts the movement of glyphosate as an artifact of academic capitalism, activist tactics, and contested scientific facts, reflecting the complexity of contemporary life with chemicals.

Format: Hardback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

Vincanne Adams delves into the intricate realm of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, a widely used agricultural herbicide. In her book, Glyphosate and the Swirl, Adams examines the chemical as a subject of contentious scientific discourse and a pervasive presence in our chemically saturated lives. She traces the historical origins of glyphosate and its diverse applications, as activists, regulators, scientists, clinicians, consumers, and individuals affected by its toxicity strive to ascertain its safety and potential harm. The scientific and political debates surrounding glyphosate's toxicity escalate into a swirling vortex, a state where certainty is perpetually challenged, fragmented, and multiplied. This movement mirrors the dynamics observed in the chemicals movement across soils, food, bodies, archives, labs, and legislative bodies, settling in various places at different times, exerting varying effects on the environments it encounters. The swirl encapsulates the complexities of contemporary life intertwined with chemicals, serving as both an artifact of academic capitalism, activist tactics, and contested scientific facts. It offers a means to capture the multifaceted nature of our chemical-driven world.

Weight: 396g
Dimension: 238 x 160 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478019411