Climate Change and Migration in Gun Island: A Study of Climate Refugees
Table of Contents
Personal Information
Assignment Details
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction: Climate Change and Migration in the Contemporary World
Climate Change as a Driver of Migration
Climate Refugees and the Crisis of Displacement
Multispecies Migration and Planetary Environmentalism
Globalization, Capitalism, and Environmental Crisis
Narrative, Myth, and Climate Imagination in Gun Island
Conclusion
References
Personal Information:
Name:- Trupti Hadiya
Batch:- M.A. Sem 4 (2024–2026)
Enrollment Number:- 5108240013
E-mail Address:- hadiyatrupti55@gmail.com
Roll Number:- 31
Assignment Details:-
Topic: Climate Change and Migration in Gun Island: A Study of Climate Refugees
Paper & subject code:- 22414: Paper 207: Contemporary Literatures in English
Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar
Date of Submission:- 30 March 2026
Abstract
Gun Island presents a compelling exploration of the interconnected crises of climate change and migration in the contemporary world. This assignment argues that the novel foregrounds the emergence of climate refugees as a defining feature of the Anthropocene, where environmental degradation forces large-scale displacement across national and cultural boundaries. Drawing on ecocritical and postcolonial perspectives, the paper examines how climate change disrupts ecological balance, leading to both human and non-human migration. It further analyzes how globalization and capitalism intensify environmental vulnerability, particularly in regions like the Sundarbans. By engaging with the concept of planetary environmentalism and multispecies justice, the study highlights the ethical and political implications of climate-induced migration. Ultimately, the novel challenges traditional narratives of migration by situating displacement within a broader ecological crisis, thereby calling for a rethinking of human responsibility and global justice.
Keywords
Climate Change, Migration, Climate Refugees, Multispecies Migration, Planetary Environmentalism, Globalization, Ecocriticism, Amitav Ghosh
Climate Change and Migration in Gun Island: A Study of Climate Refugees
1. Introduction: Climate Change and Migration in the Contemporary World
In recent decades, climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing global crises, significantly influencing patterns of human migration. Gun Island situates itself within this context, portraying a world where environmental disruptions compel individuals and communities to move across borders in search of survival.
The novel reflects what scholars describe as the growing nexus between climate change and migration, particularly in vulnerable regions such as the Sundarbans. Environmental catastrophes—cyclones, floods, and rising sea levels—have become increasingly frequent, displacing populations and destabilizing livelihoods (Banu, 2024) . These developments highlight the inadequacy of traditional migration frameworks, which often fail to account for ecological factors.
This paper argues that Gun Island redefines migration by linking it directly to environmental crises, thereby foregrounding the concept of climate refugees. Through its narrative, the novel exposes the socio-political and ecological dimensions of displacement, emphasizing the urgent need for global awareness and action.
2. Climate Change as a Driver of Migration
Climate change functions as a primary catalyst for migration in Gun Island, shaping both the narrative and its thematic concerns. The novel portrays a series of environmental events—storms in the Sundarbans, wildfires in California, and floods in Venice—that reflect the global scale of ecological disruption. These events are not isolated incidents but interconnected manifestations of a planetary crisis.
Scholarly analysis indicates that such environmental phenomena are part of a broader pattern linked to anthropogenic climate change (Bose and Satapathy, 2021). Human activities such as industrialization, deforestation, and excessive carbon emissions have accelerated environmental degradation, making natural disasters more frequent and severe. As a result, entire communities are forced to migrate, often under precarious and dangerous conditions.
The Sundarbans, in particular, serves as a critical site of climate vulnerability. Rising sea levels, salinization of soil, and recurrent cyclones render the region increasingly uninhabitable. This ecological fragility transforms migration into a necessity rather than a choice. People are compelled to leave not only due to economic hardship but because their environment can no longer sustain life.
Furthermore, the novel highlights that climate change does not affect all regions equally. Marginalized communities, especially in the Global South, bear the brunt of environmental degradation despite contributing least to its causes. This unequal distribution of environmental risk exposes the deep injustices embedded within global systems.
Thus, migration in Gun Island is portrayed as an existential response to environmental collapse, emphasizing the urgent need to address climate change as both an ecological and humanitarian crisis.
3. Climate Refugees and the Crisis of Displacement
One of the most significant contributions of Gun Island is its portrayal of climate refugees—individuals displaced due to environmental degradation. Characters such as Tipu and Rafi embody this phenomenon, representing marginalized individuals who undertake perilous journeys in search of better opportunities and survival.
Research highlights that undocumented migrants often face severe challenges, including exploitation, human trafficking, xenophobia, and social exclusion (Bose and Satapathy, 2021). The novel reflects these harsh realities by depicting the dangerous journeys undertaken by migrants across borders, particularly through the Mediterranean Sea. These journeys are marked by uncertainty, risk, and often tragedy, revealing the vulnerability of climate refugees in a globalized world.
Moreover, migration is shown as a complex and multifaceted process influenced by socio-economic, political, and environmental factors. As scholars note, migration cannot be understood as a single, uniform phenomenon but must be viewed within a broader global context (Banu, 2024). Climate change intensifies existing inequalities, pushing already marginalized communities into deeper precarity.
The novel also critiques the lack of legal recognition for climate refugees. Unlike political refugees, climate migrants often fall outside the protection of international laws, leaving them exposed to exploitation and neglect. This legal invisibility highlights the urgent need to rethink global frameworks of migration and justice.
Through its narrative, Gun Island challenges dominant perceptions of refugees, presenting them not as passive victims but as resilient individuals navigating complex systems of power, survival, and hope.
4. Multispecies Migration and Planetary Environmentalism
A distinctive feature of Gun Island is its emphasis on multispecies migration—the movement of both human and non-human entities in response to climate change. The novel draws powerful parallels between human refugees and displaced animals, illustrating the interconnectedness of ecological systems.
According to Hoydis (2025), the novel expands the concept of migration literature by incorporating both human and animal displacement, thereby emphasizing the broader impact of climate change. This perspective challenges anthropocentric thinking and encourages readers to view environmental crises through a more holistic lens.
Similarly, Khan (2025) introduces the concept of “planetary environmentalism,” which transcends national and cultural boundaries. This framework emphasizes that climate change is a global issue requiring collective responsibility and cooperation. The novel reinforces this idea by showing how environmental crises connect distant regions—from the Sundarbans to Venice and California.
The inclusion of animal migration—such as dolphins, birds, and other species—highlights the disruption of natural habitats and ecological balance. These movements symbolize the broader consequences of climate change, where no form of life remains unaffected.
By foregrounding multispecies migration, Gun Island advocates for a reimagining of environmental ethics. It calls for a shift from human-centered perspectives to a more inclusive approach that recognizes the rights and vulnerabilities of all living beings.
5. Globalization, Capitalism, and Environmental Crisis
The novel also offers a sharp critique of globalization and capitalism, presenting them as key drivers of environmental degradation and migration. Scholars argue that contemporary environmental crises are closely linked to global economic systems that prioritize profit over sustainability (Khan, 2025).
In Gun Island, the exploitation of natural resources, rapid industrialization, and unequal distribution of wealth contribute significantly to ecological destruction. These processes disproportionately affect marginalized communities, particularly in the Global South, who lack the resources to adapt to environmental changes.
The novel further highlights how globalization facilitates migration while simultaneously restricting it. While goods and capital move freely across borders, human mobility—especially for the poor—is heavily regulated and controlled. This contradiction exposes the inherent inequalities within global systems.
Additionally, the legacy of colonialism continues to shape environmental and economic structures. The extraction of resources during colonial periods has left lasting impacts on ecosystems, contributing to present-day vulnerabilities. By connecting past exploitation with contemporary crises, Gun Island underscores the continuity of environmental injustice.
Thus, the novel critiques not only environmental degradation but also the systemic inequalities that sustain it, calling for a fundamental rethinking of global economic practices.
6. Narrative, Myth, and Climate Imagination in Gun Island
Amitav Ghosh’s narrative technique blends realism with myth, creating a unique form of storytelling that captures the complexities of climate change. The legend of the Gun Merchant serves as a symbolic framework through which contemporary issues are explored, linking past narratives with present realities.
As Hoydis (2025) suggests, the novel employs storytelling as a means of addressing planetary crises, combining historical, mythical, and ecological elements. This narrative strategy allows Ghosh to move beyond conventional realism and engage with the unpredictability and scale of climate change.
The use of myth reflects the limitations of traditional literary forms in representing environmental crises. Climate change, with its vast and complex impacts, challenges linear storytelling and demands new narrative approaches. By integrating folklore and myth, the novel creates a space where the ecological and the imaginative intersect.
Furthermore, the blending of myth and reality reflects the interconnectedness of human and non-human worlds. It suggests that understanding climate change requires not only scientific knowledge but also cultural and narrative imagination.
Thus, Gun Island represents a new form of climate fiction that expands the boundaries of literature, offering innovative ways of understanding and responding to environmental crises.
7. Conclusion
Gun Island is a significant literary work that addresses the complex relationship between climate change and migration. Through its portrayal of climate refugees, multispecies migration, and planetary environmentalism, the novel offers a comprehensive critique of contemporary ecological and social realities.
By integrating insights from ecocriticism and postcolonial theory, this assignment has demonstrated that migration in the modern world cannot be understood without considering environmental factors. The novel highlights the urgent need for global cooperation and ethical responsibility in addressing climate change.
Ultimately, Gun Island calls for a reimagining of human relationships with nature, emphasizing the importance of sustainability, justice, and collective action in the face of a planetary crisis.
References
Banu, Alia Rawshan. “Human Migration Is Widely Viewed as a Dramatic Consequence of Climate Change: A Case Study of Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island.” Global Mainstream Journal of Arts, Literature, History & Education, vol. 3, no. 5, 2024, pp. 1–5. ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382070827. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Bose, Trina, and Amrita Satapathy. “The Crisis of Climate and Immigration in Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island.” Litera: Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, vol. 31, no. 2, 2021, pp. 473–489. https://doi.org/10.26650/LITERA2021-871879. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Ghosh, Amitav. Gun Island. Penguin Books, 2019.
Hoydis, Julia. “Parables for Planetary Crisis: Storytelling and Multispecies Migration in Gun Island.” Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies, vol. 27, no. 3, 2025, pp. 390–408. Taylor & Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/1369801X.2024.2365155. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Khan, Rakibul Hasan. “Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island: The Climate Crisis and Planetary Environmentalism.” Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, vol. 66, no. 3, 2025, pp. 423–437. Taylor & Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/00111619.2024.2314094. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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