Organizer: Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University
Type/Location: In Person / Ithaca, NY
Description:
Join the Southeast Asia Program (SEAP) at Cornell University for a talk by Caitlyn Sears, SEAP Postdoctoral Associate and NYSEAN member, who will discuss how recent production and regulation dynamics in Malaysia exemplify transformations in global chemical geographies.
Abstract:
In this talk, I examine how recent production and regulation dynamics in Malaysia exemplify transformations in global chemical geographies. A recent resurgence of academic interest in pesticides has shifted focus from an analysis of a ‘circle of poison’ to recent conceptualizations of a ‘global pesticide complex.’ Whereas pesticide production was once concentrated in the global north for use on global south export crops, a new multipolarity of production has emerged, with significant increases in production in the global south. These changes in production are fundamentally intertwined with alterations in pesticide regulatory landscapes, from global frameworks established in the early 2000s to more recent national level initiatives.
My research examines how the production and regulatory shifts associated with a new global pesticide complex unfold in Malaysia. In terms of production, a combination of colonial legacies, regional private investment flows, and national development plans transformed the country into a top ten global herbicide exporter for almost two decades beginning in the early 2000s. This emergence as a major producer was both a cause and consequence of significant regulatory change. Motivated by stalled international agreements, unwelcome western regulatory impositions, and growing mobilizations by a more informed citizenry, Malaysia has recently pursued more assertive state-level action on pesticides. Through this research on pesticide production and regulation trends, I hope to contribute to better public knowledge and government policy at the intersection of public health, environmental protection, and economic development.
About the Speaker:
Caitlyn Sears was the recipient of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences fellowship in 2023 for her work on the Malaysian pesticide industry and its role in global agrochemical production networks. Her work combines economic and development geography to examine the flow of agrochemicals across national borders, regulatory systems and ecosystems. Her most recent research fits within broader literature on environmental governance and new geographies of south-south development and examines the scalar mismatch between global regulatory conventions, national regulations and domestic and international agribusiness capital. She is a postdoctoral associate at Cornell University’s Southeast Asia Program.
Registration:
To attend the event in person, please register here.