Robin Nagle
Anthropologist | Uncovering the Hidden Life of Sanitation Workers
About
Robin Nagle is an anthropologist who has spent years embedded with New York City's Department of Sanitation, the world's largest municipal sanitation department. Her acclaimed book Picking Up explores the vital yet overlooked role of sanitation workers in maintaining urban health and infrastructure.
Nagle's firsthand experiences provide a unique window into the challenges, triumphs, and social impact of this essential public service. Her keynotes offer fresh perspectives on the hidden labor that keeps cities running, empowering audiences to appreciate the unsung heroes who sustain modern life.
Talks1
What I discovered in New York City trash
New York City residents produce 11,000 tons of garbage every day. Every day! This astonishing statistic is just one of the reasons Robin Nagle started a research project with the city's Department of Sanitation. She walked the routes, operated mechanical brooms, even drove a garbage truck herself--all so she could answer a simple-sounding but complicated question: who cleans up after us?
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