In the Shadow of the Palms: More-Than-Human Becomings in West Papua Sophie Chao is an English-language printed study book. This work investigates the role of the oil palm in West Papua and is intended for professionals in social and cultural anthropology and environmental studies.
Sophie Chao analyzes multispecies entanglements around the oil palm in West Papua, showing how Indigenous Marind communities deal with the social, political, and ecological consequences of oil palm plantation. She emphasizes that the oil palm sector is a major cause of deforestation and climate change. By placing the plant in the context of colonization, ethnic dominance, and capitalist exploitation, Chao shows that Marind do not only hold people and technologies responsible for environmental damage, but also the oil palm itself. In this way, she deepens the understanding of capitalist violence as a multispecies phenomenon. In addition, the book highlights Indigenous creativity and decolonial anthropological approaches.
This title connects with themes such as social and cultural anthropology, environmental sciences, and sustainable development.