Hi everyone,
Just wanted to begin to tell everyone about my Blog 2 topic Ecofeminism. In my final blog I am going to look strictly at the conceptual framework behind ecofeminism and its implications for socio-psychological variables. However there is another equally important side to ecofeminism which is rooted in our religious backgrounds and traditions.
Firstly I want to give a brief definition of ecofeminsim for all those who don't know what it is. 'Ecofeminism is the position that there are important connections - historical, symbolic, theoretical - between the domination of women and the domination of non-human nature' (Warren, 1990; p125). Basically, ecofeminists argue that through a conceptual framework of hierarchical thinking, value dualisms and the logic of domination, western patriarchal culture has created a logic of oppression which rationalises prejudice and domination over women and nature.
This has implications not only in non-secular but also secular western thought and traditions. Hierarchical thinking creates an 'order' in which one group or thing is higher than the other; an order that makes the higher group 'better' than the lower group. Value dualisms feed off this by assuming that in a pairing, one is better than another. For example 'light' is better than 'dark' . This thinking has been used in both 'christian and jewish religious traditions', 'european mechanistic science and enlightenment philosophy', as well as feeding into the 'desacralization of the earth in favour of a sky-god' (Adams, 1993;p2). These Western thought and traditions, have systematically utilised such thinking in order to 'dominate' the previously existing 'earth religions' and pagan cultures who ultimately have no dualistic concept of 'good' and 'evil'. Futhermore this dualistic thinking leads to sky being sacred and earth being desacrilized, leading to 'domination of the natural world, fear of the body, projection of evil upon women, and world- destroying spiritual views' (Adams, 1993;p2).
Interesting food for thought, in light of the problems presenting the world in changing attitudes and behaviours towards environmental degradation and the looming threat of climate change.
Thats all for now!
References
Adams, C.J. (Ed.). 1993. Ecofeminism and the Sacred. Continuum, New York.
Warren, K.J. 1990. The power and promise of ecological feminism. Environmental Ethics, 12, 125-146.
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2 comments:
Hi Adeva,
James Neil informed me about your blog. I don't know if this is useful, but for whatever its worth, my feedback:
I can see that this is something that you are deeply interested in. Your importance for this eco-feminism comes through, but it comes through in a way that gives me a starting point to latch on to connect with the whole thing.
There is much about what other people think. I think it will help me to understand this and feel involved if I know what makes you feel so strongly about this, or what triggered the interest, your position on things, whatever. It will give me a starting point or at least a way to connect enough to know if it interests me or not.
Even examples that bring about what you are thinking on this subject will help me.
Right now, its a lot of big words that someone said. It is your obvious enthusiasm for the subject that pulls at me, but the subject itself seems too vague in terms of what triggered that enthusiasm.
I get a feeling that I may be interested, if I knew where to begin.
I sent James an email that he is planning to forward to you.
Good luck. I'll keep looking in once in a while and hope that I find out what triggered that fire about this subject. Perhaps that will interest me too.
Good Luck!
Sincerely,
Vidyut Kale
WIDE AWARE
Hi Adeva,
This is a really interesting concept, i haven't heard about ecofeminism before so I look forward to learning more about it.
So many problems in today's society develop from some sort of imbalance-in our minds, beliefs, social systems. Ecofeminism seems to draw attention to restoring harmony in todays society. Something that could benefit the environment, political situaions, personal stress levels and societies dynamics through individual interactions.
Good luck with your topic.
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