Toxic Life Podcast: Episode One

What is Toxic Life? A conversation between co-hosts Krista Lynes & Ayesha Vemuri





In this inaugural episode of the Toxic Life Podcast, environmental media scholars Krista Lynes and Ayesha Vemuri ask, what is toxic life?

We’ve seen the word everywhere: we live in “toxic times;” feel the threat of toxic discourse; and are awash in toxic materials. Together, we want to think about the intersections of labour, place, and scale in a world structured by transnational capitalism, persistent colonialisms, occupations and war-time destruction, large-scale infrastructure and energy projects, and environmental ruin. Our conversations are minimally edited and serve to broaden the discussion around what is toxic in our world today.

Show Notes:

Françoise Vergès, Making the World Clean (2025)
Olufemi O. Taiwo, Reconsidering Reparations (2021)
Neferti Tadiar, Remaindered Life (2022)
Max Liboiron, Pollution is Colonialism (2021)


This episode was recorded on November 13, 2025.
Image description: An olive-green square with a translucent photo of sand and detritus. Text reads, “Toxic Life Podcast, with Krista Lynes & Ayesha Vemuri”.

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The Toxic Life Podcast is co-hosted by FMS Director Krista Lynes and research fellow Ayesha Vemuri. Production and music by Piper Curtis.

Thank you to the members of the Toxic Life Working Group, our administrator Alba Clevenger, as well as the Feminist Media Studio and the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture at Concordia University.

Find this and future episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Concordia University
Communications & Journalism (CJ) Building
CJ 2.130, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W.
Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6
Canada

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