Ruined Landscapes, Sweaty Bodies

This photo essay examines the ecological, social, and existential transformations wrought by sand mining in Sorong, Papua, where the relentless demand for concrete has reshaped both landscapes and human lives. Sand mining, driven by the forces of industrialisation and colonial legacy, fuels the grow...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Kronos Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 1 - 14
Main Authors: Tsing, Anna, Zhou, Feifei
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Western Cape, Centre for Humanities Research and the History Department 01.05.2025
ISSN:0259-0190, 2309-9585
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This photo essay examines the ecological, social, and existential transformations wrought by sand mining in Sorong, Papua, where the relentless demand for concrete has reshaped both landscapes and human lives. Sand mining, driven by the forces of industrialisation and colonial legacy, fuels the growth of cities built on ecological ruin. Through the intertwined stories of settler miners and indigenous Papuans, the essay reveals how mining reduces both land and labor to extractable commodities: hills into sand and men into muscle and sweat.
ISSN:0259-0190
2309-9585
DOI:10.17159/2309-9585/2025/v51a6