New Books Network Myles Lennon, "Subjects of the Sun: Solar Energy in the Shadows of Racial Capitalism" (Duke UP, 2025)
Jul 8, 2025
Myles Lennon, Dean's Assistant Professor at Brown University, dives into the complexities of solar energy and its ties to racial capitalism. He argues that solar initiatives can inadvertently exploit marginalized communities, despite their promise for equity. Lennon critiques the disconnect between corporate clean energy efforts and the realities faced by vulnerable populations. He highlights the importance of genuine community involvement, labor experiences, and critiques the romanticization of solar power in the quest for environmental justice.
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Policy Hope vs. Implementation Reality
- Myles Lennon worked on New York energy efficiency policies, witnessing political will but minimal impact in implementation.
- Complex diverse urban housing and inefficient consumer market models hindered green goals like the Green Jobs, Green New York initiative.
Sunlight Masks Solar's Exploitations
- Solar energy is widely imagined as clean, but its production involves exploitative supply chains and fossil fuel use.
- The sun's affective power mystifies solar's racial capitalist labor conditions and challenges traditional Marxian commodity fetishism.
Seductive Ease of Screen Work
- Screen work seduces solar workers by offering control and ease through virtual platforms detached from physical environments.
- This digital labor contrasts with the complex, messy, and corporeal realities of community-based energy transitions.
