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Ecofeminism

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Ecofeminism is a social and political movement which unites environmentalism and feminism, with some currents linking deep ecology and feminism. Ecofeminists argue that a relationship exists between the oppression of women and the degradation of nature, and explore the intersectionality between sexism, the domination of nature, racism, speciesism, and other characteristics of social inequality. Some current work emphasizes the capitalist and patriarchal system is based on triple domination of the "southern people", women, and nature introduction of Ecofeminism by Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva.

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Ecofeminist analysis

Ecofeminism, or ecological feminism is a term coined in 1974 by Françoise d'Eaubonne. It is a philosophy and movement born from the union of feminist and ecological thinking, and the belief that the social mentality that leads to the domination and oppression of women is directly connected to the social mentality that leads to the abuse of the environment. It combines eco-anarchism or bioregional democracy with a strong ideal of feminism. In some tendencies, typically its advocates emphasize moving back to small eco-villages of 100 to 140 people, which studies in anthropology argue historically form the most stable and prevalent type of human society. In both some traditional and modern feminist ideals of such villages, women often function as the only landlords or the only land-owners, and property may be inherited only maternally, i.e. in a matriarchy.

A central tenet in eco-feminism states that male ownership of land has led to a dominator culture, manifesting itself in food export, over-grazing, the tragedy of the commons and a land ethic that amounts to land abuse. Some eco-feminists view colonization as being akin to rape, and they also have equally harsh things to say about games such as golf or bobsledding that inherently require destruction of ecologies to be played.

Some scientists generally dismiss ecofeminism as neither feminism nor ecology; most feminists are not part of the radical fringe, and have heavily criticised the radical and anti-science turn that eco-feminism has taken.

Feminist and social ecologist Janet Biehl has criticized ecofeminism as idealist, focusing too much on the idea of a mystical connection with nature and not enough on the actual conditions of women. However, this line of criticism may not apply to many ecofeminists who reject both mysticism and essentialist ideas about the connection between women and nature. This antiessentialist ecofeminism has become more prominent since the early 1990s. [link]

And some "spiritual" ecofeminists can't be accused of inconsistency: they have a epistemological analysis of the Enlightenment see chapter 1 of "ecofeminism" Mies and Shiva, which applies to materialist and spiritualist ecofeminism, want to place the spirituality in immanent world and then practice modern activism see Starhawk, discuss economical and political issues while working with the power of Great mother earth (metaphorically or magically according to their tendencies).

Views on technology

Françoise d'eaubonne proned a cooperative system, in small unities (villages) with autonomization, without alienating technology. With the eco-feminist ideals and pagan practices, sometimes these projects are seen as a form of primitivism. However, while some see technology as almost inherently alienating, many feminists see a substantial role for modern technologies in the creation and operation of such villages. For instance, a number of eco-feminists advocate the use of technologies such as solar power Vandana Shiva, for example http://www.solarconference.net/news.htm as a way to stay off 'the grid', which they regard as more important than not relying on poisonous industrial processes or materials. The ecology movement is itself split on issues like this. However, it is likely that intermediate technology, appropriate technology would be preferred in general, if an eco-feminist movement sought to spread into developing nations quickly.

Notable ecofeminist anthologies

  • Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism, Edited by Irene Diamond and Gloria Feman Orenstein
  • Reclaim the Earth by Leonie Caldecott & Stephanie Leland (editors)
  • Animals and Women: Feminist Theoretical Explorations, edited by Carol J. Adams and Josephine Donovan
  • Ecofeminism: Animals, Women, Nature, edited by Greta Gaard
  • EcoFeminism & Globalization: exploring culture, context and religion, edited by Heather Eaton & Lois Ann Lorentzen.
  • Rethinking Ecofeminist Politics Janet Biehl
  • Ecofeminism and the Sacred, Edited by Carol J. Adams

Notable ecofeminist books

Nonfiction

Fiction

This list is [Incomplete listsincomplete]; you can help by [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ expanding it].

Notes

See also

External links

 

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