The Social Impacts of Air Pollution: An Empirical Study in Zurich, Switzerland and Qingdao, China

The rapid population growth and uncontrolled urbanization worldwide, pose significant challenges for cities and societies. Burawoy (2023) states that the expansion of capitalism leads to environmental degradation. This degradation is the toxic pollution that arises slowly and invisibly, which Nixon (2011: 2) defines as “slow violence”. According to the WHO report (2021), air pollution, one of these toxic pollutants, causes 7 million deaths annually. Air pollution is not only a global health issue but also a phenomenon that negatively affects the natural environment, climate, business, and socio-economic areas. While the effects of air pollution on health, the environment, and the economy are frequently discussed in the literature, its impact on social life is often overlooked. However, air pollution, which can affect many areas of daily life, from work practices to transportation habits, is a significant social phenomenon. This study addresses the social dimension of pollution based on air quality data produced by the MASSEV project. The fieldwork, which will be conducted with 90 people in Zurich, Switzerland, and Qingdao, China, in January 2025, offers a multidisciplinary approach to analyzing how air pollution is perceived and experienced by different social classes, how it affects daily life practices, to what extent it deepens social inequalities, and how it is defined as a form of slow violence.