Re-examining Mary Douglas' work on pollution and concepts of purity,
this volume explores modern expressions of these themes in urban areas,
examining the intersections of material and cultural pollution. It
presents ethnographic case studies from a range of cities affected by
globalization processes such as neoliberal urban policies, privatization
of urban space, continued migration and spatialized ethnic tension. What
has changed since the appearance of Purity and Danger? How have
anthropological views on pollution changed accordingly? This volume
focuses on cultural meanings and values that are attached to conceptions
of 'clean' and 'dirty', purity and impurity, healthy and unhealthy
environments, and addresses the implications of pollution with regard to
discrimination, class, urban poverty, social hierarchies and ethnic
segregation in cities.