A. Rezazadeh Farahmand (Airin)

My project examines the vibrant cultural life of plastic by analyzing its rich material history, popularization, commercialization, and domestication. I treat plastic as a cultural and technological artifact that dominates everyday life and shapes human interactions with the environment. I investigate the processes through which this novel scientific marvel has metamorphosed into a mundane, ordinary material. By exploring the socio-cultural factors that have enabled this transformation, my project sheds new light on the roots of the current plastic crisis and our global throwaway culture to better understand potential avenues for change. Additionally, I am interested in speculative and artistic responses to the plastic crisis and the potential of creative practices for imagining alternative futures and forging radical collective actions.

• Critical Humanities