The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”

This article explores the materiality of the airplane, working at the intersection of the environment and health. Via its ambiguous relationship with air—existing and functioning within it while also polluting it—the plane is an object that invades and engages with ecologies. The article proposes co...

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Main Author: Tatiana Konrad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Arts & Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2025.2451511
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author Tatiana Konrad
author_facet Tatiana Konrad
author_sort Tatiana Konrad
collection DOAJ
description This article explores the materiality of the airplane, working at the intersection of the environment and health. Via its ambiguous relationship with air—existing and functioning within it while also polluting it—the plane is an object that invades and engages with ecologies. The article proposes conceiving of the plane as a material object that creates environmental-health “heterotopias”—a concept borrowed from Michel Foucault—generating pollution via emissions and pathogens. It investigates the value of viewing the plane in this way in the era of environmental and health crises. Exploring interactions and relationships between pilots, air crew, passengers, and civilians on the one hand, and the plane on the other, the article unveils how the meaning of the plane is constructed. To illustrate the idea of the plane as a distinct “heterotopia”, this article refers to Jean-François Richet’s action thriller film Plane (2023).
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publishDate 2025-12-01
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record_format Article
series Cogent Arts & Humanities
spelling doaj-art-ecd1f3b6db61487dac2e4ccfde4c04ad2025-01-20T10:34:18ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Arts & Humanities2331-19832025-12-0112110.1080/23311983.2025.2451511The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”Tatiana Konrad0Department of English and American Studies, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaThis article explores the materiality of the airplane, working at the intersection of the environment and health. Via its ambiguous relationship with air—existing and functioning within it while also polluting it—the plane is an object that invades and engages with ecologies. The article proposes conceiving of the plane as a material object that creates environmental-health “heterotopias”—a concept borrowed from Michel Foucault—generating pollution via emissions and pathogens. It investigates the value of viewing the plane in this way in the era of environmental and health crises. Exploring interactions and relationships between pilots, air crew, passengers, and civilians on the one hand, and the plane on the other, the article unveils how the meaning of the plane is constructed. To illustrate the idea of the plane as a distinct “heterotopia”, this article refers to Jean-François Richet’s action thriller film Plane (2023).https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2025.2451511Planeairheterotopiapollutionenvironmenthealth
spellingShingle Tatiana Konrad
The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”
Cogent Arts & Humanities
Plane
air
heterotopia
pollution
environment
health
title The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”
title_full The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”
title_fullStr The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”
title_full_unstemmed The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”
title_short The plane: Materiality, air, and environmental-health “heterotopia”
title_sort plane materiality air and environmental health heterotopia
topic Plane
air
heterotopia
pollution
environment
health
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2025.2451511
work_keys_str_mv AT tatianakonrad theplanematerialityairandenvironmentalhealthheterotopia
AT tatianakonrad planematerialityairandenvironmentalhealthheterotopia