Letters from Tomis

My Socialist Hall of Fame

During this chaotic era of vile rhetoric and manipulative tactics from our so-called bourgeois leaders, I am invigorated by the opportunity to reflect on Socialists, Revolutionaries, Philosophers, Guerrilla Leaders, Partisans, and Critical Theory titans, champions, and martyrs who paved the way for us—my own audacious “Socialism’s Hall of Fame.” These are my heroes and fore-bearers. Not all are perfect, or even fully admirable, but all contributed in some way to our future–either as icons to emulate, or as warnings to avoid in the future.

Andreas Malm (born 1977) is a prominent Swedish author, historian, and scholar known for his influential work in human ecology, environmental history, and political ecology, particularly regarding climate change and capitalism. Malm earned his Ph.D. from Lund University, where he is currently an associate professor in the Department of Human Geography. His interdisciplinary scholarship bridges historical analysis, political theory, and climate science, making him a central figure in contemporary ecological Marxism.

Malm’s research primarily examines the intersection of capitalism, fossil fuel dependency, and climate crisis. He critically analyzes capitalism’s historical reliance on fossil fuels, arguing that contemporary climate change is inherently linked to capitalist modes of production and accumulation. His seminal book, Fossil Capital: The Rise of Steam Power and the Roots of Global Warming (2016), has significantly impacted discussions around the historical origins of anthropogenic climate change, highlighting capitalism’s structural compulsions toward fossil fuel usage.

Malm is also recognized for his provocative stance on climate activism and the urgency of transitioning away from fossil fuels. His works often advocate radical action, questioning mainstream environmental strategies’ effectiveness in addressing the climate crisis. In How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Learning to Fight in a World on Fire (2021), he controversially argues for sabotage as a potential tactic within climate activism, aiming to provoke critical debate about effective political responses to climate change.

Malm’s scholarship extends to critiques of neoliberal climate policies, ecological imperialism, and environmental injustice, emphasizing solidarity with global South perspectives and advocating for international ecological justice.

Annotated Bibliography

• Malm, Andreas. Fossil Capital: The Rise of Steam Power and the Roots of Global Warming. Verso, 2016.

This influential work traces the historical roots of climate change to the rise of capitalism and industrialization, emphasizing capitalism’s inherent dependence on fossil fuels.

• Malm, Andreas. The Progress of This Storm: Nature and Society in a Warming World. Verso, 2018.

Explores theoretical and philosophical debates around nature, society, and climate change, critically engaging with political ecology and environmental theory.

• Malm, Andreas. Corona, Climate, Chronic Emergency: War Communism in the Twenty-First Century. Verso, 2020.

Examines parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis, advocating for urgent, radical responses to global crises akin to wartime mobilization.

• Malm, Andreas. How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Learning to Fight in a World on Fire. Verso, 2021.

Provocatively discusses sabotage as a political tactic within climate activism, stirring debate on effective and ethical forms of protest.

• Malm, Andreas, and The Zetkin Collective. White Skin, Black Fuel: On the Danger of Fossil Fascism. Verso, 2021.

This collaborative work investigates the rise of far-right politics connected to fossil fuel interests, analyzing the intersection of climate politics, racism, and capitalism.