War and Peace: The Production of Human Environments

Publication details

DOI

https://doi.org/{{DOI}}

Published

2026-01-12

License

CC BY 4.0

Access

Open access

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Type

Article

Local ID

2026-0002

Version

VoR

Citation

Nikolaenko Dmitry. War and Peace: The Production of Human Environments. Pollution and Diseases. 2026; 2: 10-33.

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Abstract

This article examines war as a long-term environmental process that systematically reshapes human habitats, with particular emphasis on freshwater systems. It argues that contemporary warfare cannot be understood solely as a political or military phenomenon, but must be analyzed as a mechanism of ecological transformation with cumulative consequences for public health. Drawing on the concept of rhythmicity, the paper demonstrates that certain regions—most notably Crimea and Donbas—are repeatedly subjected to cycles of military destruction, population displacement, and environmental degradation. Special attention is given to the role of scientific communities in legitimizing and enabling ecologically destructive military practices. The concept of super-normal science is introduced to explain the structural readiness of expert communities to support state-driven projects of ecocide. The article concludes that war has become an integral component in the production of contaminated human environments and calls for a systemic rethinking of scientific responsibility in the context of armed conflict.

Key words: war and environment, freshwater systems, military pollution, ecocide, aquacide, super-normal science, scientific responsibility, rhythmicity of warfare, public health, post-Soviet space.