Poisons in the Twentieth Century: Unpunished Crimes, Slow Violence and the Role of History

Abstract

This article will provide a review of recent historical scholarship on toxic products. It will start by discussing studies on the history of nineteenth-century criminal poisoning and continue with recent literature on twentieth-century toxic hazards in workplaces, agriculture, foodstuffs and the environment. The aim is to highlight continuities and changes in historical studies on poisons and toxic risks over the last two decades. The author will review the main studies which have guided his own research while describing the main trends in crime history studies, environmental history and the history of public and occupational health. He contends that the area will benefit from more multidisciplinary exchanges in order to consolidate its position in current public debates.