A Study of Eco-Cosmopolitanism in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide

Abstract

This paper presents an eco-cosmopolitan reading of Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide, investigating how the novel engages with global environmental concerns through the lens of native ecological narratives. In the Sundarbans, a fragile and contested deltaic region in eastern India, The Hungry Tide portrays the interconnections between human and non-human life forms, reflecting a complex ecological consciousness. The novel challenges anthropocentric and Euro-centered paradigms by foregrounding transnational ecological solidarities, indigenous knowledge systems, and the ethical dilemmas posed by conservation. Through its depiction of tidal rhythms, endangered species, and socio-political conflicts, Ghosh’s narrative advocates for an eco-cosmopolitan ethic—one that recognizes global environmental interdependence while being rooted in local specificities. This paper argues that The Hungry Tide not only highlights the ecological priority of marginalized communities but also calls for a reconceptualising of cosmopolitanism in the age of climate crisis.