The Effluent Eye: Narratives for Decolonial Right-Making

Rosemary Jolly argues that human rights are anthropocentric and shortsighted, and proposes right-making in the demise of human rights. She draws on "Fifth Wave" structural public health to confront the concept of human rights and engages decolonial thinking on urgent topics such as pandemic history, gender-based violence, and the connections between colonial capitalism and substance abuse.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 26 February 2024
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

In her book "The Effluent Eye," Rosemary Jolly makes a compelling case for the decolonization of human rights, attributing their failure not just to state and institutional wrongdoing but to the very concept of human rights as inherently anthropocentric and, thus, profoundly shortsighted. Jolly approaches this topic through a rich blend of literary and cultural criticism, Indigenous and Black critique, and substantial forays into the medical humanities. She proposes right-making in the demise of human rights by employing what she calls an "effluent eye," drawing on "Fifth Wave" structural public health to challenge the notion of human rights, one of the most powerful and widely entrenched liberal ideas.

Jolly builds on the work of Indigenous sovereignty scholars such as Robin Wall Kimmerer, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, and Mark Rifkin, as well as the littoral development in Black studies from Christine Sharpe, Saidiya Hartman, and Tiffany Lethabo King, to engage in decolonial thinking on a range of urgent topics, including pandemic history and grief, gender-based violence and sexual assault, and the interconnectedness between colonial capitalism, substance abuse, the Anthropocene, and climate change.

Through a combination of personal witness and a diverse array of decolonial texts, Jolly argues for an effluent form of reading that begins with the recognition that the granting of "rights" to individuals is meaningless in a world plagued by pollution, poverty, and successive pandemics. She advocates for a shift towards a more holistic and interconnected approach to human well-being that recognizes the interdependence of all beings and the need to address the root causes of social and environmental injustice.

"The Effluent Eye" is a thought-provoking and challenging book that offers a fresh perspective on human rights and their limitations. Jolly's innovative approach and interdisciplinary approach make it an essential read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of contemporary society and the urgent need for a more just and sustainable world.

Weight: 360g
Dimension: 140 x 216 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517915698