The Du Bois nexus: intersectionality, political economy, and environmental injustice in the Peruvian Guano trade in the 1800s

W. E. B. Du Bois’s work serves as a fruitful avenue to synthesize intersectionality, political economy, and environmental analysis. We propose that the Du Bois nexus provides the basis to examine distinct historical relationships and conditions that shape race, class, gender, and national relations associated with environmental injustice. Through a brief historical case study, we examine the racialized and gendered international division of labor associated with the Peruvian guano trade in the mid-nineteenth century, highlighting the associated environmental injustice and inequalities experienced by Chinese ‘coolies.’ We conclude by highlighting how Du Bois’s scholarship is useful as a bridge between environmental sociology, intersectionality, and race and ethnic studies.