Entangled disasters : Relations and vulnerabilities in the transformation and dissolution of Kiruna and Malmberget
Olofsson, Tobias LU
(2025)
p.144-163
- Abstract
- This chapter explores the role of placed-based relational entanglements in disasters and argues that relations play an important part in shaping how disasters unfold. Exploring the case of mining-induced displacement in Sweden’s Malmfälten region—where two cities, Kiruna and Malmberget, and several villages are being moved or razed to make way for expanding mines—the chapter demonstrates how a strong geosymbiotic entanglement between the mines and cities in the region contributes to the normalization of the suffering and vulnerability experienced by displaced residents. Drawing on documentary films, newspaper articles, scholarly work, and other accounts of the move and dissolution of Kiruna and Malmberget, the chapter argues that phenomena... (More)
- This chapter explores the role of placed-based relational entanglements in disasters and argues that relations play an important part in shaping how disasters unfold. Exploring the case of mining-induced displacement in Sweden’s Malmfälten region—where two cities, Kiruna and Malmberget, and several villages are being moved or razed to make way for expanding mines—the chapter demonstrates how a strong geosymbiotic entanglement between the mines and cities in the region contributes to the normalization of the suffering and vulnerability experienced by displaced residents. Drawing on documentary films, newspaper articles, scholarly work, and other accounts of the move and dissolution of Kiruna and Malmberget, the chapter argues that phenomena and events with disastrous outcomes may escape being labeled as disasters if the relations they affect are made to be less important than the relations that harbor the disaster. Based on these findings, the chapter highlights how disaster research, by centering relations rather than hazards, can gain new insights into how disastrous events and phenomena produce suffering and vulnerability that cannot easily be accommodated or explained through classical conceptualizations of disasters. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- This chapter discusses the role of placed-based relational entanglements in disasters and argues that relations play an important part in shaping how disasters unfold. Exploring the case of mining induced displacement in Sweden’s Malmfälten region – where two cities, Kiruna and Malmberget, and several villages are being moved or razed to make way for expanding mines – the chapter demonstrates how a strong geosymbiotic entanglement between the mines and cities in the region contributes to the normalization of the suffering and vulnerability experienced by displaced residents. Drawing on documentary films, newspaper articles, scholarly work, and other accounts of the move and dissolution of Kiruna and Malmberget, the chapter argues that... (More)
- This chapter discusses the role of placed-based relational entanglements in disasters and argues that relations play an important part in shaping how disasters unfold. Exploring the case of mining induced displacement in Sweden’s Malmfälten region – where two cities, Kiruna and Malmberget, and several villages are being moved or razed to make way for expanding mines – the chapter demonstrates how a strong geosymbiotic entanglement between the mines and cities in the region contributes to the normalization of the suffering and vulnerability experienced by displaced residents. Drawing on documentary films, newspaper articles, scholarly work, and other accounts of the move and dissolution of Kiruna and Malmberget, the chapter argues that phenomena and events with disastrous outcomes may escape being labeled as disasters if the relations they affect are made to be less important than the relations that harbor the disaster. Based on these findings, the chapter highlights how disaster research, by centering relations rather than hazards, can gain new insights into how disastrous events and phenomena produce suffering and vulnerability that cannot easily be accommodated or explained through classical conceptualizations of disasters. Moreover, the chapter argues that an expansion of disasters to include slow-moving man-made disaster-like phenomena, such as those unfolding in Malmfälten, would open the door for further investigations into other creeping phenomena of human origin that threaten disastrous consequences, such as pollution, biodiversity loss, or global heating. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/606bbf65-5ccf-4817-bdac-d77ae5c44070
- author
- Olofsson, Tobias
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-06-11
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- host publication
- Time of Disastrous Anticipations : Essays on life in the shadow of catastrophe - Essays on life in the shadow of catastrophe
- editor
- Staupe, Reidar and Bartoszewicz, Monika Gabriella
- edition
- 1
- pages
- 20 pages
- publisher
- Routledge
- ISBN
- 9781032883441
- 9781003537311
- DOI
- 10.4324/9781003537311-9
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 606bbf65-5ccf-4817-bdac-d77ae5c44070
- date added to LUP
- 2025-04-22 13:39:33
- date last changed
- 2025-06-06 03:25:40
@inbook{606bbf65-5ccf-4817-bdac-d77ae5c44070,
abstract = {{This chapter explores the role of placed-based relational entanglements in disasters and argues that relations play an important part in shaping how disasters unfold. Exploring the case of mining-induced displacement in Sweden’s Malmfälten region—where two cities, Kiruna and Malmberget, and several villages are being moved or razed to make way for expanding mines—the chapter demonstrates how a strong geosymbiotic entanglement between the mines and cities in the region contributes to the normalization of the suffering and vulnerability experienced by displaced residents. Drawing on documentary films, newspaper articles, scholarly work, and other accounts of the move and dissolution of Kiruna and Malmberget, the chapter argues that phenomena and events with disastrous outcomes may escape being labeled as disasters if the relations they affect are made to be less important than the relations that harbor the disaster. Based on these findings, the chapter highlights how disaster research, by centering relations rather than hazards, can gain new insights into how disastrous events and phenomena produce suffering and vulnerability that cannot easily be accommodated or explained through classical conceptualizations of disasters.}},
author = {{Olofsson, Tobias}},
booktitle = {{Time of Disastrous Anticipations : Essays on life in the shadow of catastrophe}},
editor = {{Staupe, Reidar and Bartoszewicz, Monika Gabriella}},
isbn = {{9781032883441}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{06}},
pages = {{144--163}},
publisher = {{Routledge}},
title = {{Entangled disasters : Relations and vulnerabilities in the transformation and dissolution of Kiruna and Malmberget}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003537311-9}},
doi = {{10.4324/9781003537311-9}},
year = {{2025}},
}