Dynamics of Climate in Pakistani Fiction: A Critical Study of Hamid and Shamsie’s Selected Novels

This study examines the dynamics of climate necropolitics in contemporary Pakistani fiction, focusing on Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West (2017) and Kamila Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows (2009). Necropolitics, a concept developed by Achille Mbembe (2019) refers to the politics of life and death, where states and governing structures determine whose lives are deemed grievable or expendable. Within the context of climate change, these dynamics become particularly visible in marginalized communities, forced migrations, and environmental crises. By employing a critical literary analysis framework, this study explores how Hamid and Shamsie portray climate-induced displacement, social inequities, and the differential valuation of human life. Findings reveal that both authors not only highlight the human cost of environmental degradation but also interrogate broader sociopolitical structures that perpetuate systemic vulnerability. This research contributes to the interdisciplinary dialogue between environmental humanities, postcolonial studies, and political theory, offering insights into how fiction can illuminate the intersections of climate crises and necropolitical governance in Pakistan and the broader South Asian region.