This dissertation examines contemporary literature from South Asia and Eastern Africa to explore how narratives of war and climate crisis reshape our understanding of survival, care, and belonging. Introducing the concept of the catastrophopic, it argues that Global South literature offers powerful frameworks for ecological responsibility and collective world-making.

This research uses low-cost air quality sensors to monitor pollution exposure in underserved communities in Philadelphia. It reveals unexpected indoor and temporal pollution patterns and highlights disparities in exposure. By involving residents as citizen scientists, the study demonstrates how accessible data can inform policy and improve public health outcomes.