Plastic Humanities: Revaluing Humanistic Inquiry in the Plastic Age

In the early 21st century, humanity finds itself deeply enmeshed in what many call the “Plastic Age”: a historical epoch defined by the widespread production, consumption, and disposal of synthetic polymer materials known as plastics. Plastics permeate nearly every aspect of daily life — from packaging and consumer goods to architecture, medicine, and art. Simultaneously, the global scale of plastic waste and pollution has become a central environmental, social, and cultural concern. Against this backdrop, there is a growing realization that addressing the challenges of plastics is not only a matter for science, engineering, and policy, but also for the humanities. This article investigates the contours of Plastic Humanities: its conceptual foundations, methodological challenges, domains of inquiry, and potential contributions. Drawing on recent scholarship from cultural theory, archaeology, art, environmental humanities, and social science, the essay makes a case for why the humanities must adapt — and what such adaptation could look like.