Literary Narratives of Social and Environmental Change: A Reviewof Palm Oil Imagery in Global Fiction

Abstract

The global palm oil industry has become a central point of debate due to its far-reaching environmental and social consequences, yet its cultural and literary representations have only recently gained systematic scholarly attention. Literature, as a medium of ecological imagination, transforms abstract issues such as deforestation, labor exploitation, and cultural displacement into narratives that shape public understanding of sustainability and justice. This study aims to: (1) provide a structured synthesis of scholarly contributions examining palm oil in global fiction, (2) analyze how literary narratives frame palm oil as a site of environmental, cultural, and political contestation, and (3) highlight systemic insights drawn from these representations for advancing interdisciplinary
debates on sustainability and ecological justice. The research employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) as a qualitative method. Data were collected through the Scopus database using targeted keywords, yielding 1,142 initial results. After multi-stage screening based on thematic focus, publication years (2020–2025), and accessibility, 35 peer-reviewed articles were selected for analysis. Thematic synthesis was used to identify recurring patterns and crossregional trends. Findings reveal five dominant thematic clusters: environmental degradation, labor exploitation, colonial legacies, cultural identity and indigenous resistance, and sustainability narratives. These themes demonstrate the multifaceted role of literature in connecting ecological realities with social struggles and in critiquing global capitalist structures. In conclusion, palm oil imagery in fiction serves as both a mirror of systemic crises and a resource for envisioning alternative futures. Future research is encouraged to expand cross-regional comparisons, especially in underexplored African and Latin American contexts, to strengthen global perspectives on ecological justice.