Ecofeminism

Citation:

Gaard, Greta. 1997. “Toward a Queer Ecofeminism.” Hypatia 12 (1): 114-37.

Author: Greta Gaard

Abstract:

Although many ecofeminists acknowledge heterosexism as a problem, a systematic exploration of the potential intersections of ecofeminist and queer theories has yet to be made. By interrogating social constructions of the "natural," the various uses of Christianity as a logic of domination, and the rhetoric of colonialism, this essay finds those theoretical intersections and argues for the importance of developing a queer ecofeminism.

Topics: Coloniality/Post-Coloniality, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, LGBTQ, Sexuality Regions: Americas Countries: United States of America

Year: 1997

Citation:

Gaard, Greta, ed. 1993. Ecofeminism. Philadelphia: Temple University Press

Author: Greta Gaard

Annotation:

Summary:
Drawing on the insights of ecology, feminism, and socialism, ecofeminism's basic premise is that the ideology that authorizes oppression based on race, class, gender, sexuality, physical abilities, and species is the same ideology that sanctions the oppression of nature. In this collection of essays, feminist scholars and activists discuss the relationships among human begins, the natural environment, and nonhuman animals. They reject the nature/culture dualism of patriarchal thought and locate animals and humans within nature. The goal of these twelve articles is to contribute to the evolving dialogue among feminists, ecofeminists, animal liberationists, deep ecologists, and social ecologists in an effort to create a sustainable lifestyle for all inhabitants of the earth. Among the issues addressed are the conflicts between Green politics and ecofeminism, various applications of ecofeminist theory, the relationship of animal liberation to ecofeminism, harmful implications of the romanticized woman-nature association in Western culture, and cultural limitations of ecofeminism. (Summary from Temple University Press)

Table of Contents:

1. Living Interconnections with Animals and Nature
   Greta Gaard
2. Ecofeminism: Linking Theory and Practice
   Janis Birkeland
3. Dismantling Oppression: An Analysis of the Connection Between Women and Animals
   Lori Gruen
4. Roots: Rejoining Natural and Social History
   Stephanie Lahar
5. Ecofeminism and the Politics of Reality
   Linda Vance
6. Questioning Sour Grapes: Ecofeminism and the United Farm Workers Grape Boycott
   Ellen O'Loughlin
7. Animal Rights and Feminist Theory
   Josephine Donovan
8. The Feminist Traffic in Animals
   Carol J. Adams
9. For the Lover of Nature: Ecology and the Culture of the Romantic
   Chaia Heller
10. From Heroic to Holistic Ethics: The Ecofeminist Challenge
    Marti Kheel
11. A Cross-Cultural Critique of Ecofeminism
    Huey-li Li
12. Ecofeminism and Native American Cultures – Pushing the Limits of Cultural Imperialism?
    Greta Gaard

Topics: Class, Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender, Gendered Power Relations, Patriarchy, Indigenous, Race, Rights Regions: Americas Countries: United States of America

Year: 1993

Citation:

Fakier, Khayaat, Diana Mulinari, and Nora Räthzel, eds. 2020. Marxist-Feminist Theories and Struggles Today: Essential Writings on Intersectionality, Labour and Ecofeminism. London: Zed Books.

Authors: Khayaat Fakier , Diana Mulinari, Nora Räthzel

Annotation:

Summary:

This vital new collection presents new Marxist-Feminist analyses of Capitalism as a gendered, racialized social formation that shapes and is shaped by specific nature-labour relationships. Leaving behind former overtly structuralist thinking, Marxist-Feminist Theories and Struggles Today interweaves strands of ecofeminism and intersectional analyses to develop an understanding of the relations of production and the production of nature through the interdependencies of gender, class, race and colonial relations. With contributions and analyses from scholars and theorists in both the global North and South, this volume offers a truly international lens that reveals the the vitality of contemporary global Marxist-Feminist thinking, as well as its continued relevance to feminist struggles across the globe (Summary from Zed Books).

Table of Contents:

Introduction
Khayaat Fakier, Diana Mulinari, Nora Räthzel

Part I – Conceptualising

1. Standpoint Theory
Cynthia Cockburn

2. Outside in the Funding Machine
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

3. Contradictions in Marxist Feminism
Frigga Haug

4. Ecofeminism as (Marxist) Sociology
Ariel Salleh

5. The ‘Flat Ontology’ of Neoliberal Feminism
Jennifer Cotter

6. The Byzantine Eunuch: Pre-capitalist Gender Category, ‘Tributary’ Modal Contradiction, and a Test for Materialist Feminism
Jules Gleeson

7. Reading Marx against the Grain: Rethinking the Exploitation of Care Work Beyond Profit-Seeking
Tine Haubner

Part II – Production

8. Marx and Social Reproduction Theory: Three Different Historical Strands
Ankica Čakardić

9. The Best Thing I Have Done Is to Give Birth; The Second Is to Strike
Paula Mulinari

10. Women in Small Scale Fishing in South Africa: An Ecofeminist Engagement with the ‘Blue Economy’
Natasha Solari and Khayaat Fakier

11. The ‘Crisis of Care’ and the Neoliberal Restructuring of the Public Sector – a Feminist Polanyian Analysis
Rebecca Selberg

12. Gender Regimes and Women’s Labour: Volvo Factories in Sweden, Mexico, and South Africa
Nora Räthzel, Diana Mulinari, Aina Tollefsen

Part III – Religions and Politics

13. Religious Resistance: A Flower on the Chain or a Tunnel towards Liberation?
Gabriele Dietrich

14. A Marxist-Feminist Perspective: From Former Yugoslavia to Turbo Fascism to Neoliberal Postmodern Fascist Europe
Marina Gržinić

15. Feminism, Antisemitism and the Question of Palestine/Israel
Nira Yuval Davis

Part IV – Solidarities

16. Women in Brazilian's Trade Union Movement
Patricia Vieira Trópia

17. Argentinean Feminist Movements: Debates from Praxis
Ana Isabel González Montes

18. Marxist Feminism for a Global Women’s Movement against Capitalism
Ligaya Lindio McGovern

19. Marxist/Socialist Feminist Theory and Practice in the USA Today
Nancy Holmstrom 

20. Solidarity in Troubled Times: Social Movements in the Face of Climate Change
Kathryn Russell

Topics: Class, Coloniality/Post-Coloniality, Economies, Care Economies, Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender, Gendered Power Relations, Intersectionality, Race, Religion Regions: Africa, MENA, Southern Africa, Americas, North America, South America, Europe, Balkans, Nordic states Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Mexico, Palestine / Occupied Palestinian Territories, South Africa, Sweden, United States of America

Year: 2020

Citation:

Eubonne, Françoise d'. 1974. Le Féminisme Ou La Mort. Paris: P. Horay.

Author: Françoise d' Eubonne

Annotation:

Summary:

"It was not until the 1974 publication of Le Féminisme ou la Mort by French feminist author and civil rights activist Françoise d´Eaubonne (1920-2005) that a term to describe feminist efforts and attitudes towards environmental practices was coined: Ecofeminism. In her book, d´Eaubonne argues that many parallels exist between the patriarchal suppression of women and the suppression of nature, and this suppression results in environmental destruction. Since then, numerous theoretical and practical additions to d´Eaubonne’s argument have been made. Many begin by collapsing patriarchal dualisms: male/female, nature/culture, and mind/body but come to fundamentally challenge dominant epistemologies that inherently and efficiently bury other standpoints and ways of knowing. Issues such as the exploitation of nature by industrial resource consumption and Western paradigms of progress and technology have been explicitly designated as ecofeminist concerns. Furthermore, the ecofeminist movement strives for anti-oppression practices, meaning a society free of hierarchy, in which all living beings interact equally and are treated as parts of a common organism, the Earth" (Summary from Environment & Society Portal).

Topics: Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Hierarchies, Patriarchy

Year: 1974

Citation:

Epstein, Barbara. 1993. “Ecofeminism and Grassroots Environmentalism in the United States.” In Toxic Struggles: The Theory and Practice of Environmental Justice edited by Richard Hofrichter, 144-52. Philadelphia: New Society Publishers.

Author: Barbara Epstein

Annotation:

Summary:

"Toxic Struggles forcefully documents this fast-growing environmental justice movement led by the very people who suffer most from corporate ecological devastation—people of color, women, and low-income, working class populations. The essays in Toxic Struggles reflect the diversity of this new alliance by addressing such issues as environmental racism, ecofeminism, occupational health and safety, and the exploitation of Third World peoples" (Summary from Google Books).

Topics: Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism Regions: Americas, North America Countries: United States of America

Year: 1993

Citation:

Diamond, Irene, and Gloria Feman Orenstein, eds. 1990. Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

Authors: Irene Diamond, Gloria Feman Orenstein

Annotation:

Summary:

Essays by leading ecofeminist scholars, poets, activists, spiritual teachers, and artists who envision a restoration of harmony in a global environment damaged by a devaluation of nature and women. Includes writings by poets, novelists, scholars, scientists, ecological activists, and spiritual teachers. Many were first presented at the conference "Ecofeminist perspectives : culture, nature and theory," held at the University of Southern California, in March 1987 (Summary from WorldCat).

Table of Contents:

Histories and Mysteries: In the Beginning 

1. Ecofeminism: Our Roots and Flowering
Charlene Spretnak 

2. How to Heal a Lobotomy
Brian Swimme 

3. The Gaia Tradition and the Partnership Future: An Ecofeminist Manifesto
Riane Eisler 

4. The Origins of God in the Blood of the Lamb 
Sally Abbott 

5. The Eleusinian Mysteries: Ancient Nature Religion of Demeter and Persephone 
Mara Lynn Keller 

6. The Woman I Love Is a Planet; The Planet I Love Is a Tree 
Paula Gunn Allen 

7. Rethinking Theology and Nature 
Carol P. Christ 

Reweaving the World: Reconnecting Politics and Ethics 

8. Power, Authority, and Mystery: Ecofeminism and Earth-based Spirituality 
Starhawk 

9. Curves Along the Road 
Susan Griffin 

10. Ecofeminism and Feminist Theory
Carolyn Merchant 

11. Healing the Wounds: Feminism, Ecology, and the Nature/Culture Dualism 
Ynestra King 

12. Ecofeminism and the Politics of Resistance 
Lee Quinby 

13. Ecofeminism and Deep Ecology: Reflections on Identity and Discourse 
Marti Kheel 

14. Deep Ecology and Ecofeminism: The Emerging Dialogue 
Michael E. Zimmerman 

15. Searching for Common Ground: Ecofeminism and Bioregionalism 
Judith Plant 

Healing Ourselves: Healing the Planet 

16. Toward a Womanist Analysis of Birth 
Arisika Razak 

17. The Place of Women in Polluted Places 
Lin Nelson 

18. Development as a New Project 
Vandana Shiva 

19. Babies, Heroic Experts, and a Poisoned Earth 
Irene Diamond 

20. Goddess in the Metropolis: Reflections on the Sacred in an Urban Setting 
Irene Javors 

21. Women, Home, and Community: The Struggle in an Urban Environment 
Cynthia Hamilton 

22. The Evolution of an Ecofeminist 
Julia Scofield Russell 

23. Daughters of Growing Things 
Rachel L. Bagby 

24. Women Against Wasting the World: Notes on Eschatology and Ecology
Catherine Keller 

25. Perspective or Escape? Ecofeminist Musings on Contemporary Earth Imagery 
Yaakov Jerome Garb 

26. Artists as Healers: Envisioning Life-giving Culture 
Gloria Feman Orenstein 

Topics: Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender, Women

Year: 1990

Citation:

Dātār, Chāyā. 2011. Ecofeminism Revisited: Introduction to the Discourse. Jaipur: Rawat Publications.

Author: Chāyā Dātār

Annotation:

Summary:

"Most strands of feminism uphold, in varying degrees, the modernist dichotomy between nature and culture. Simone de Beauvoir, in her book Second Sex, points out that this distinction equates women with nature (characterized by their biological composition) and men with culture (characterized by their ‘risk-taking’ behaviour). Liberal and Marxist feminists argue that the traditional notion of a connection between women and nature is a relic of patriarchy—an instrument of oppression—which should be allowed to wither away. For them, ecofeminism smacks of essentialism (biological determinism). Despite such criticism, one needs to acknowledge the fact that exploring ecofeminist arguments rising from a material base (social, historical, dialectical) creates support in favour of alternative development models as opposed to market-oriented capitalist ones. Poor women often find a potential for liberation within such models. It also provides a better understanding of movements like the Narmada Bachao Andolan, opposition to SEZ etc. which strongly emphasise on women in the third world, their concern for food security and as such their vested interest in the preservation of ecological bases for the survival of their communities. Concepts like ‘decentralised communities’, ‘subsistence production’ etc. need to be understood against a theoretical background which justifies the need to start thinking about alternative development models. The book aims at an introduction to the discourse of ecofeminism as a perspective from which to understand the world around us, where women’s concerns of reproduction and subsistence are placed at the centre stage of the human activities" (Summary from Rawat Publications). 

Topics: Development, Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gendered Power Relations, Patriarchy Regions: Asia, South Asia Countries: India

Year: 2011

Citation:

Clara, Evy. 2018. "Transformative Ecofeminism Movement in Empowering Indonesian Women." PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences 4 (2): 581-98. 

Author: Evy Clara

Abstract:

This research has a purpose to analyze Women’s Journal Foundation as an organization of women who performs the environmental movement and the empowerment of women (ecofeminism) through the Journal. This research used a critical paradigm, a qualitative approach and phenomenological designs. The research locations were held in Jakarta, Salatiga, and Klaten, and took time for 23 months (August 2013 - June 2015). The result showed that: (1) Women Journal Foundation was founded in 1995 by Gadis Arivia with the goal of advancing gender equality; (2) it initially lied on feminist ideology, a courage to build women’s awareness through women journals as the essential movement media; (3) instrument of Women Journal Foundation movement is Friends of Women Journal, performing financial strengthening while providing ecofeminism awareness, and raising ecofeminism in the practical level; and (4) the implications of the movement Women Journal Foundation are the growth of ecofeminism awareness that manifests itself into empowerment of women who care about garbage (Garbage Bank) in Salatiga and natural dye used for batik in Klaten.

Keywords: transformative ecofeminism movement, empowering, Indonesian women

Topics: Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender, Women, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Equality/Inequality Regions: Asia, Southeast Asia Countries: Indonesia

Year: 2018

Citation:

Cheney, Jim. 1987. “Eco-Feminism and Deep Ecology.” Environmental Ethics 9 (2): 115-45.

Author: Jim Cheney

Abstract:

l examine the degree to which the so-called “deep ecology” movement embodies a feminist sensibility. In part one I take a brief look at the ambivalent attitude of “eco-feminism” toward deep ecology. In part two I show that this ambivalence sterns largely from the fact that deep ecology assimilates feminist insights to a basically masculine ethical orientation. In part three I discuss some of the ways in which deep ecology theory might change if it adopted a fundamentally feminist ethical orientation. 

Topics: Environment, Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender, Masculinity/ies

Year: 1987

Citation:

Caldecott, Léonie, and Stephanie Leland, eds. 1983. Reclaim the Earth: Women Speak Out for Life on Earth. London: Women’s Press.

Authors: Léonie Caldecott, Stephanie Leland

Annotation:

Summary:

Essays discuss nuclear proliferation, chemical pollution, land rights, childbirth, infanticide, ecology, and feminist activities around the world (Summary from Google Books).

Table of Contents:

1. The Eco-Feminist Imperative
Ynestra King

2. Unity Statement
Women’s​ Pentagon Action

3. Unholy Secrets: The Impact of the Nuclear Age on Public Health
Rosalie Bertell

4. The Long Death (poem)
Marge Piercy

5. Sveso Is Everywhere
Women’s Working Group, Geneva; translated and extracted from the French by Frances Howard-Gordon

6. The Politics of Women’s Health
Nancy Worcester

7. Feminism: Healing the Patriarchal Dis-Ease
Jill Raymond and Janice Wilson

8. Ask A Stupid Question (poem)
Susan Saxe

9. Feminism and Ecology: Theoretical Connections
Stephanie Leland

10. Roots: Black Ghetto Ecology
Wilmette Brown

11. Seeds That Bear Fruit: A Japanese Woman Speaks
Manami Suzuki

12. Another Country (poem)
Marge Piercy

13. Thought for Food
Liz Butterworth

14. The Power to Feed Ourselves : Women and Land Rights
Barbara Rogers

15.  The Land Is Our Life: A Pacific Experience
Léonie Caldecott

16. A Micronesian Woman (poem)
Rosalie Bertell

17.  Greening the Desert: Women of Kenya Reclaim Land
Maggie Jones and Wanagari Maathai

18.  Greening the Cities: Creating a Hospitable Environment for Women and Children
Penelope Leach

19.  Against Nuclearisation and Beyond
Statement of Sicilian women

20. For the Hiroshima Maidens (poem)
Léonie Caldecott

21. Gaea: The Earth as Our Spiritual Heritage
Jean Freer

22. He Wanine, He Whenau: Maori Women and the Environment
Ngahuia Te Awekotuku

23. All of One Flesh: The Rights of Animals
Norma Benney

24. The Mothers Do Not Disappear
Marta Zabaleta; translated by Jackie Rodick

25. Invisible Casualities: Women Servicing Militarism
Lesley Merryfinch

26. Alternative Technology: A Feminist Technology?
Chris Thomas

27. Safety and Survival
Margaret Wright

28. Birth: The Agony or the Ecstasy?
Caroline Wyndham

29. A New Form of Female Infanticide
Manushi Collective

30. Saving Trees, Saving Lives: Third World Women and the Issue of Survival
Anita Anand

31. Time for Women: New Patterns of Work
Sheila Rothwell

32. Personal, Political and Planetary Play

33. The Warp and the Weft: The Coming Synthesis of Eco-Philosophy and Eco-Feminism
Hazel Henderson

34. Prayer for Continuation (poem)
Susan Griffin

Topics: Feminisms, Ecofeminism, Gender, Gendered Power Relations, Patriarchy, Health, Infrastructure, Urban Planning, Military Forces & Armed Groups, Militarism, Political Participation, Race, Rights, Land Rights, Security, Food Security, Weapons /Arms, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Regions: Africa, East Africa, Asia, East Asia, Oceania Countries: Japan, Kenya, Micronesia, New Zealand

Year: 1983