On Sat, 28 Feb 1998, kherties wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> Here comes a question that I am sure has been answered by each of you at
> some point, but I am trying to create a concise and reflective
> defintion. Therefore, can you please define the term "ecofeminism" for
> me.
>
> With thanks,
> Kathy
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
There is a great, succinct article which might help you in your quest for
a "definition" of eco-feminism (which might, in the long run, prove hard
to define, especially if we consider that the act of "defining something"
is actually a means to patriarchal control and domination...)
The article is from the 1992 Summer edition of the journal "Environmental
Action." Pages 18-19. In it, two persepectives are given, one by Carolyn
Merchant, and one by Janet Biehl. These perspectives are juxtaposed into
opposition of one another.
In the introduction to the opposing perspectives, the unnamed author gives
a broad characteristic defining ecofeminism which might serve helpful to
you:
Central to ecofeminist theory is the tenet that man's domination
of nature parallels that of man's domination over women.
Further on, Merchant traces the beginning of Eco-feminism, with
Francoise d'Eaubonne's monumental work "Le feminisme ou la mort"
("Feminism or Death) (Pierre HORAY, PARIS, 1974). She also gives an
outline of what she feels are the important categories that eco-feminist
thinking falls under: liberal, cultural, social and socialist.
There are also several ecofeminist anthologies out there which all have
introductions and prefaces which can help in an effort to put your thumb
on the crux of evo-feminism.
Check out:
Reweaving the World: the Emergence of Ecofeminism
edited by Irene Diamond and Gloria Feman Orenstein
Ecofeminism
by Maria Mies
Radical Ecology: the search for a liveable world
by Carolyn Merchant
Ecological Feminism
edited by Karen Warren
Gaia and God: An Ecofeminist Theology of Earth Healing
by Rosemary Radford Ruether
Gay and Gaia
by Daniel Spencer
Le feminisme ou la Mort
Feminisme Ecologie: Revolution ou Mutation
Les Femmes avant le patriarcat
Feminin et Philosophie
by Francoise d'Eaubonne
I am working on translations of d'Eaubonne's works for my M.A. thesis in
French and hope to have something publishable by the end of spring.
I hope these suggestions are helpful to you as you try to nail down
exactly what ecofeminism means to you. Let me know how it goes.
Jake Paisain
University of Montana
French
