Destructive plasticity and the microbial geopolitics of childhood malnutrition

Abstract Engaging Catherine Malabou's philosophical work on biological plasticity, this article combines microbiological and geopolitical analysis of the deadliest manifestations childhood malnutrition. At scale microbiology, malnutrition is a devastating condition mystery to which it seems microbiomes – ecosystems microbes in gut hold key. geopolitics, calamity generated by racial capitalism, poverty, underdevelopment. What should we do with plasticity that makes us? Malabou asks. philosophically plastic materiality malnutrition, focuses destructive as an ontological alternative what science pursues problem causality. This leads argument medicine, well humanitarian, security, development interventions, must reckon essence political disease annihilation. The ends speculating resistance via act nurturing.