Toxic Water, Toxic System: Environmental Racism and Michigan's Water War

The book "Toxic Water, Toxic System" explores the consequences of a seemingly anonymous authoritarian state willing to maintain white supremacy at any cost, including poisoning an entire city and shutting off water to thousands of people. It amplifies the voices of marginalized communities, particularly African American women, and offers a fresh perspective on the ties between urban austerity policies, environmental harm, and the advancement of white supremacist agendas in predominantly Black and brown cities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 334 pages
Publication date: 26 March 2024
Publisher: University of California Press

The unwavering resilience of local communities in their fight for control over America's third-largest water system, Toxic Water, Toxic System, unveils the harrowing consequences of a seemingly faceless authoritarian state that is willing to perpetuate white supremacy at any cost. This includes the poisoning of an entire city and the denial of water access to thousands of people. Through a compelling blend of narratives from frontline activists and archival data, Michael Mascarenhas delves into the intricate web of political alliances and bureaucratic mechanisms that sustain inequality.

Drawing from three years of ethnographic fieldwork in Flint and Detroit, this book amplifies the voices of marginalized communities, particularly African American women, whose perspectives and labor have consistently been overlooked. Toxic Water, Toxic System offers a novel perspective on the interconnectedness of urban austerity policies, environmental harm, and the advancement of white supremacist agendas in predominantly Black and brown cities.

This book is a crucial contribution to our understanding of the ongoing struggles for social justice and environmental protection in America. It sheds light on the ways in which corporate interests, government negligence, and racial discrimination intersect to create systems of harm that disproportionately impact communities of color. By highlighting the experiences of Flint and Detroit, Toxic Water, Toxic System encourages readers to recognize the urgent need for systemic change and to join the fight for a more equitable and sustainable future.

Weight: 410g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520343870