Ecofeminism at the Crossroads in India: A Review

Citation:

Rao, Manisha. 2012. “Ecofeminism at the Crossroads in India: A Review.” DEP - Deportate, Esuli, Profughe 20 (12): 124–42.

Author: Manisha Rao

Abstract:

A large and growing body of literature on ecofeminism in the West relates gender and environment mainly in ideological terms. In India however, growing protests against environmental destruction and struggles for survival and subsistence point to the fact that caste, class and gender issues are deeply interlinked. In this paper, I will look at the main tenets of ecofeminism and the critiques that have been leveled against them. Then I will try to contextualize this debate within the Indian environmental movement and highlight the interconnections of caste, class and gender issues in it. Further I would attempt to see whether the issue of environment has been taken up by the Indian women’s movement. If not, whether the women’s movement would benefit and become more broad-based by taking up the issues that concern women of different caste and class. At the same time, whether the Indian environment movement would benefit by taking up a feminist perspective.

Topics: Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender Regions: Asia, South Asia Countries: India

Year: 2012