AIR
BackAlphabet City no. 15 (2010). The thin layer of atmosphere that clings to the surface our planet is a limited and corruptible aether. Air is in constant, restless migration around the globe, connecting us in the most intimate fashion. Air currents now bring Saharan sands that turn China yellow and smog from Chinese factories hovers over Los Angeles. Smog itself has a rich history, literary and otherwise, since we have been cloaking our cities in it since at least the 19th century. Air has thus long been the ultimate commons. Breathing air an autonomous function of the brainstem, but keeping the air breathable requires acts of political will. The current state of the planet’s air poses a challenge to international governance in an era that has seen globalization erode the regulatory capacities of nation-states. We invite submissions on these and any other aspects of air.
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