Ecofeminist Theory and Sustainable Development "People have to be able to work together if they are to realize the shared destiny and to preserve a habitable environment for generations to come." Albert Bandura, 1995 Bandura's words epitomize the spirit of environmental education and its challenges of community cooperation, trans-generational communication and sustainable development. The success of these challenges depends on the ability to pass on knowledge about the environment to
An Ecofeminist Perspective of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner The science fiction film, Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, first released in 1982 and loosely based on Philip K. Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,1 has continued to fascinate film viewers, theorists and critics for more than fifteen years. Writings include Judith B. Kerman's Retrofitting Blade Runner, a collection of academic essays;2 Paul M. Sammon's book on the making of the various versions of the film;3 and
Environmental Justice: Some Ecofeminist Worries About A Distributive Model ABSTRACT: Environmental philosophers, policy-makers and community activists who discuss environmental justice do so almost exclusively in terms of mainstream Western distributive models of social justice. Whether the issue is treatment of animals, human health or property, wilderness and species preservation, pollution or environmental degradation, the prevailing and largely unchallenged view is that the issues of environmental
Francoise d’Eaubonne, a French feminist philosopher, coined the term “Ecofeminism” in 1974. Ecofeminism is a feminist approach to environmental ethics. Karen Warren, in her book Ecofeminist Philosophy, claims that feminist theorists question the source of the oppression of women, and seek to eliminate this oppression. Ecofeminists consider the oppression of women, (sexism) the oppression of other humans (racism, classism, ageism, colonialism), and the domination of nature (naturism) to be interconnected
environment falls into this subordinate category because it continues to be pressed and used to benefit the man machine. It may be hard for participants in the capitalist system to open their eyes and accept an ecofeminist stance when the realms of ecology and capitalism are held in opposition. "Ecofeminists do not support the idea that women's increased economic, political and social participation in the predominant, but also destructive and life-opposing socio-economic system is a good way to freedom" (Littig
exclusively to preserve this balance, ecofeminism. Terry Tempest Williams is just that, an ecofeminist. In her memoir Refuge¸ Williams attempts to examine the ecological and social worlds that balance on this pendulum. Refuge brings together a range of topics and ideas with her own mix of environmental, social, and cultural problems to present the reader with a clearly laid out stance for ecofeminism. There is an ecofeminist stance in Refuge because she believes women have a bond with nature that men do not
quality of a human subject's identity. A Thousand Acres foregrounds issues raised by the perspective that one's body can be the vehicle for understanding of the self and the world. One of the ways this is done, is a part of a larger project of ecofeminist rhetoric, creating numerous analogies between the body and nature. This is first seen when Ginny utilizes nature by the Scenic. Not only are "the cattails green and fleshy-looking"(7, italics mine), but the natural scene forms a signifying system
journey that leads her directly into the natural world. Like the journey itself, the language, events, and characters in Atwood's novel reflect a world that oppresses and dominates both femininity and nature. Strong and unmistakable in Surfacing, the ecofeminist theory establishes itself in three specific ways: through the references to patriarchal reasoned dualities between the masculine and feminine world; through the domination and oppression of the feminine and natural world, and through the Surfacer's
Ecofeminist Analysis of Militarism and the War on Terrorism Since the start of our retaliation against terrorism, war, and the military-industrial complex used to support war, have become extremely important topics. While accomplishing its primary objective, war also destroys the innocent. War hits the young, old, women and children. The environment is partially destroyed in the country in which the war is fought. Both a feminist and environmentalist perspective are useful when analyzing
Some Problems With Ecofeminism ABSTRACT: Karen Warren presents and defends the ecofeminist position that people are wrong in dominating nature as a whole or in part (individual animals, species, ecosystems, mountains), for the same reason that subordinating women to the will and purposes of men is wrong. She claims that all feminists must object to both types of domination because both are expressions of the same "logic of domination." Yet, problems arise with her claim of twin dominations. The
central category of analysis. An analysis of the interrelated dominations of nature - psyche and sexuality, human oppression, and nonhuman nature - and the historic position of women in relation to those forms of domination, is the starting point of ecofeminist theory." (Ynestra King, "Healing the Wounds" in Reweaving the World: The Emergence of Ecofeminism, p. 117.) Other compatible movements are deep ecology, Green Politics, bioregionalism, creation-centered spirituality and animal rights. To open
Sarah Orne Jewett’s short story of a young girl named Sylvia, who must make an important decision in the midst of finding her place in her new found home. Jewett sets the stage for the events to unfold with a bit of mystery and magic. There are undertones of ecofeminism, romanticism, and heroism, which the story works through to lead the protagonist to her final decision that will ultimately shape her future, to become the protector of her new natural home. Jewett begins the story against a backdrop
Mellor (2007) and Lahar (1991) have stressed the importance of grass-root movements and their role in the improvement of ecofeminist theory. The Chipko and Utttarakhand movement are few examples to show how women centred movements began to echo around the world w.r.t nature conservation and anti-oppression. Both Uttarakhand movement and Chipko are similar as both seeked control over local resources and demanded protection of the subsistence livelihood like subsistence agriculture and forest rights
to have a better knowledge of the environmental surrounding than men hence considered as experts in taking care of the environment. Also, an Indian ecofeminist by the name Shiva Venanda, argued that women are more nurturing and closer to nature, therefore they can handle and manage the environment in a more friendly way. Her efforts as an ecofeminist led to the liberation of women as women. Women and nature are connected culturally and by concept. Ecofeminism conceives women as having the ability
against environmental destruction and struggles for survival made clear that caste, class and gender issues are interlinked. In this chapter, I will look at the historical background of ecofeminism, and at its main theories. Then I will explore the ecofeminist movement, its importance and influence in India. Background on Ecofeminism Ecofeminism was a term first coined by a French writer, Francoise d’Eaubonne, in 1974 in the book, “Le féminisme ou la mort”, where the author lingers on the environmental
ethicists maintain that anthropocentrism is the root cause of environmental degradation, ecofeminists build upon their position. They argue that anthropocentrism has historically functioned as androcentrism and that this reality must be addressed within the study of environmental ethics. Ecofeminism is a discipline within environmental philosophy that posits an alliance between women and nature. Ecofeminists argue that the domination of nature
that, “...ecological feminism is the position that there are important connections-historical, experiential, symbolic, theoretical- between the domination of women and the domination of nature…(281)”. Warren justifies her argument of using this ecofeminist framework through the discussion of the essence or “recipe” in which domination and oppression has historically worked to disenfranchise not only women but nature. In understanding how the ecological feminism may be applied to the exploitation,
and environmental crisis, a number of women started to aware of the way nature and women are badly treated by male-dominant society. a. Besides, ecofeminists want to create more awareness among feminists about environmental problems because both nature and women are devalued and objectified by patriarchy (qtd. in Brammer 1). i. Therefore, ecofeminists encourage the deconstruction of patriarchal and capitalistic systems which create inequity among the society in order to free women and save the planet
Kheel (1990) argues that all ecofeminist philosophers to date agree that woman have been falsely conceptualized as inferior to men. This historical conceptualization of women as inferior has been based on any of the three faulty assumptions; biological determinism, conceptual essentialism
Hill Indians, likewise, ''rush to cover the wound with rock'' (Brice 130). They departed immediately; they ''didn't want to be around the broken earth's black blood and its pain'' ((Hogan, Mean Spirit 229). As formerly illustrated, ecofeminists call for the struggle against the oppression of women, animals and nature; they are against western culture which has oppressed them. According to Lori Gruen, ''[E]cofeminists argue that we must not isolate the subjugation of women at the expense