Well I think it depends on your own perspective. As a feminist I realize that not all feminists think alike. Something that isnt talked about much, maybe for fear of backlash or quibbling. Societal structure and economics definitely play roles in all aspects of life and certainly affects the environment. Whether the answers are to be found in alternate political or social structures is debatable. Not everyone will agree the answers are to be found through a Marxian revolution (which I think we truly havent witnessed yet) or through an internal struggle with the powers that be. I think those ideas have been out there and debated since the 60s when action spoke louder than words and physical demonstrations brought about some changes. Some say the changes were momentary and ideological only and some say that the changes made then are still being felt today. I say yes the changes the 60s brought to the world influenced the way we debate, the way the world looks at politics and race. Now though, there was/is a backlash that began in the 80s (maybe even in the 70s) and the expression of protest has been filtered into internal struggles with the political and business structures. Whether the methods of the 60s and the methods of today are more effective also is debatable. Is this what you were looking for? Bertina [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Wed, 25 Nov 1998, sarah clifton wrote: > I totally agree. I joined the list only recently precisely because I > wanted to discuss the implications and applications of ecofeminist > theory, as well as the theory itself. > > May I pose a question for discussion? > > As we have been discussing, ecofemism requires a recognition, followed > by a rejection of authoritarian systems which inherently place womyn, > animals, and nature in a subordinate position. We have, I believe, > consitently defined such a system as patriarchy. However, the > methodology with which we approach the symptoms of patriarchy, i.e. > Capitalism, Imperialism, Domination, etc. have a strong overlap with > both socialist (Marxian) and anarchist philosophy. My question is this: > How do you all, as ecofeminists, approach movements for labor-equality, > anti-militarism, etc.? Do you find more overlap between socialism and > feminism, anarchy and feminism, or no overlap at all? > > In Sisterhood, > Sarah > > > > > > > > ---------- > > Reply To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 1998 10:11 PM > > To: STUDIES IN WOMEN AND ENVIRONMENT > > Subject: A Lurker Finally Posts > > > > > Dear Ecofem Colleagues, > > > > > > I supposed I have been a "lurker" for too long (having been on this > > list > > > since it was initiated in 1994-95?). It has been a long time since > > I > > > posted anything to this listserv but find that the recent direction > > of > > > discussion, especially that which has been provoked by Angela's > > defense of > > > Christianity, is much too over-wrought and of limited in value -- > > > especially for a group of people that is presumably concerned with > > actual > > > struggles -- i.e., as opposed to unending ideological debate. > > > > > > There are so many issues that we could address in this group. Allow > > me > > > some examples: > > > > > > 1) the relationship of anti-racist struggles to ecofeminist theory > > and > > > practice; for example, the Southwest Network for Environmental and > > > Economic Justice, (SNEEJ) has brought anti-racist and feminist > > demands > > > together in calling for an end to the militiarization of the economy > > in > > > New Mexico and other parts of the Southwest. Is anyone on this list > > even > > > familiar with actual environmental justice and ecofeminist > > campaigns? We > > > are always so caught up in ideological debate that we seldom seem to > > > address issues of strategy and tactics that ENGAGE us in actual > > struggles > > > or that provide an opportunity to learn from actual struggles that > > are > > > unfolding in our own communities (barrios, ghettos, reservations, > > inner > > > cities, suburbs, bioregions, etc.). > > > > > > 2) the relationship between worker-owned and self-managed workplace > > > cooperatives and the building of alternative organizational forms > > that > > > reflect ecofeminist principles (think of the hundreds of examples of > > third > > > world women's cooperatives or similar examples within the US). What > > might > > > we learn from a discourse over the democratization of the workplace? > > > > > > 3) the Zapatista challenge - i.e., the implications of new social > > > movements for ecofeminist ethics and strategies for the circulation > > of > > > struggle from community to institutions. > > > > > > 4) the ecofeminist contribution to the critique of western science > > and > > > technology; from time to time I have seen postings on the struggles > > > against genetically-modified foods, biopiracy, patents on life, etc. > > Why > > > can't we discuss the campaign against the patenting of life? Is > > this not > > > a critical issue for ecofeminists concerned with the threats posed > > to > > > ecological and cultural diversity by biotechnology, GATT, NAFTA, > > etc.? > > > > > > I could list a dozen or more such issues that would allow us to take > > > discussion into new areas of immediate strategic, tactical, > > > epistemological, and ethical significance. Shall we give it a try > > and > > > limit our dogmatic ideological debates to private communications > > among and > > > between the members of the listserver? > > > > > > More later..... > > > > > > Yours warmly, > > > > > > Devon Pe�a, Associate Professor > > > Sociology Department > > > and Rio Grande Bioregions Project > > > Colorado College > > > > > > > > >
