Pests in the City

Pests like cockroaches, rats, ants, and fleas are social constructions, meaning they are only pests to humans because they often outcompete humans for space, food, and shelter.

Dawn Day Biehler’s book further shows that pests and urban infestations of animals categorized as pests reinforced racist ideas about “dirty” communities in cities like New York and Chicago.

One of the things I quickly began to realize while researching my book is how much the animals we label pests reflect problems within our own society. They might reflect attitudes toward animals, yes. But they also often reflect our attitudes towards each other, and highlight social inequalities. Pests in the City is a study of different pests and how they highlight issues of social justice in urban environments. It’s educational and eye-opening, and you’ll never forget what you learn. 

If you close your eyes and imagine nature in a city, most likely the first thing you imagine is a city park rather than the rats skittering between walls or the flies swarming the piles of garbage awaiting pick up. Dawn Biehler does a fantastic job of bringing the vermin in urban spaces to life, not only by looking at the ways these creatures are tied up in issues of environmental justice, but also by considering the perspectives and behaviors of the animals themselves.