Petrofiction or oil fiction, is a genre of fiction focused on the role of petroleum in society.

Background

The concept was first developed by

Amitav Ghosh Amitav Ghosh (born 11 July 1956)Ghosh, Amitav
, ''

petroleum industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The large ...

and the impact of oil on society. He coined the term when reviewing

Abdul Rahman Munif Abdelrahman bin Ibrahim al-Munif ( ar, عَبْدُ الرَّحْمٰن المُنِيفٌ) known by his nickname Abdelrahman Munif (May 29, 1933 – January 24, 2004) was a Saudi Arabian novelist, short story writer, memoirist, journalist ...

's ''

Cities of Salt ''Cities of Salt'' is a petrofiction novel by Abdul Rahman Munif. It was first published in Lebanon in 1984 and was immediately recognized as a major work of Arab literature. It was translated into English by Peter Theroux. The novel, and the qu ...

'' in 1992. When describing the concept, he noticed an absence of literature exploring the role of "oil encounters" between countries that extract oil and those that consume.

Imre Szeman Imre Szeman (born 26 July 1968) is a Canadian Cultural studies, cultural theorist, professor, and public intellectual. He is Director of the Institute for Environment, Conservation, and Sustainability and Professor of Human Geography at the Universi ...

in a 2012 editorial introduction to a special edition of the ''

American Book Review ''American Book Review'' is a literary journal operating out of the University of Houston-Victoria. Their mission statement is to “specialize in reviews of frequently neglected published works of fiction, poetry, and literary and cultural critic ...

'' proposed a slightly larger scope: all works that explore "the important role played by oil in contemporary society." Works of petrofiction proliferated in the 2000s and 2010s, along with a growing critical focus, as a result of concerns about

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

and

peak oil Peak oil is the hypothetical point in time when the maximum rate of global oil production is reached, after which it is argued that production will begin an irreversible decline. It is related to the distinct concept of oil depletion; whil ...

. Since its inauguration the term has been widely used in literary criticism to explore fiction which evaluates society's dominance by a petroleum economy and a related culture shaped by petroleum. Most critics were trying to find works that focused on the oil industry before ''Cities of Salt.'' This genre has been particularly important in non-Western literature, exploring how encounters with oil are entangled with other issues in the Global South. Some critics have connected the role of petrofiction to the emergence of

climate fiction Climate fiction (sometimes shortened as cli-fi) is literature that deals with climate change.Glass, Rodge (31 May 2013).Global Warning: The Rise of 'Cli-fi' retrieved 3 March 2016 Generally speculative in nature but scientifically-grounded, wor ...

, in that both are evaluating and addressing the concerns brought on by the

Anthropocene The Anthropocene ( ) is a proposed geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change. , neither the International Commissio ...

Notable examples

* '' Petroleum, Petroleum'' (1903) by

Gustav Meyrink Gustav Meyrink (19 January 1868 – 4 December 1932) was the pseudonym of Gustav Meyer, an Austrian author, novelist, dramatist, translator, and banker, most famous for his novel '' The Golem''. He has been described as the "most respected Germa ...

* ''

Oil! ''Oil!'' is a novel by Upton Sinclair, first published in 1926–27 and told as a third-person narrative, with only the opening pages written in the first person. The book was written in the context of the Harding administration's Teapot Dome Sc ...

'' (1926-27) by

Upton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American writer, muckraker, political activist and the 1934 Democratic Party nominee for governor of California who wrote nearly 100 books and other works in sever ...

* '' Greenvoe'' (1972) by

George Mackay Brown George Mackay Brown (17 October 1921 – 13 April 1996) was a Scottish poet, author and dramatist with a distinctly Orcadian character. He is widely regarded as one of the great Scottish poets of the 20th century. Biography Early life and caree ...

* ''

Rabbit Is Rich ''Rabbit Is Rich'' is a 1981 novel by John Updike. It is the third novel of the tetralogy that begins with ''Rabbit, Run'', continues with ''Rabbit Redux'', and concludes with ''Rabbit at Rest''. There is also a related novella, '' Rabbit Remem ...

'' (1981) by John Updike * ''

'' (1984) by

* '' Through the Arc of the Rain Forest'' (1990) by Karen Tei Yamashita * ''

Tropic of Orange ''Tropic of Orange'' is a novel set in Los Angeles and Mexico with a diverse, multi-ethnic cast of characters by Karen Tei Yamashita. Published in 1997, the novel is generally considered a work of magic realism but can also be considered science ...

'' (1997) by Karen Tei Yamashita * ''

GraceLand Graceland is a mansion on a estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, which was once owned by rock and roll icon Elvis Presley. His daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, inherited Graceland after his death in 1977. Graceland is located at 3764 Elv ...

'' (2004) by Chris Abani * ''

Things We Didn't See Coming Things or The Things may refer to: Music * ''Things'' (album), by Uri Caine and Paolo Fresu, 2006 * "Things" (Bobby Darin song), 1962; covered by Ronnie Dove, 1975 * "Things", a song by Joe Walsh from '' There Goes the Neighborhood'', 1981 * "Thi ...

'' (2008) by

Steven Amsterdam Steven Amsterdam (born in New York City on January 31, 1966) is an American writer. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, where he also works as a palliative care nurse. Biography Steven Amsterdam was born and raised in New York City. He attended Bro ...

* ''

Oil on Water ''Oil on Water'' is a 2010 petrofiction novel by Nigerian author Helon Habila. The novel documents the experience of two journalists as they try to rescue a kidnapped European wife in the oil landscape of the Niger Delta. The novel explores theme ...

'' (2010) by

Helon Habila Helon Habila Ngalabak (born November 1967) is a Nigerian novelist and poet, whose writing has won many prizes, including the Caine Prize in 2001. He worked as a lecturer and journalist in Nigeria before moving in 2002 to England, where he was a ...

*''

World Made by Hand ''World Made by Hand'' is a dystopian and social science fiction novel by American author James Howard Kunstler, published in 2008. Set in the fictional town of Union Grove, New York, the novel follows a cast of characters as they navigate a ...

'' (2008) by

James Howard Kunstler James Howard Kunstler (born October 19, 1948) is an American author, social critic, public speaker, and blogger. He is best known for his books ''The Geography of Nowhere'' (1994), a history of American suburbia and urban development, ''The Long ...

References

{{Reflist Literary genres