How Corruption Built Trash Collection

Abstract

We take trash collection for granted today, but like housing and climate action today, garbage collection was once a controversial idea and tough ask. Sunil Dasgupta talks with political scientists Patricia Strach of the University of Albany and Kathleen Sullivan of Ohio University about their new book, The Politics of Trash, where they write about how corruption rather than good governance motivated 19th century American city leaders to set up municipal garbage collection. The implications of their work apply to modern problems of pandemic and climate policymaking. Music for this episode comes from Catscan! a Washington DC band who play art pop music with satirical lyrics: https://bit.ly/3KEpfFF The Politics of Trash: https://amzn.to/3N5RXAK Strach: https://bit.ly/3mMj1KK Sullivan: https://bit.ly/41oAN5N