Looking to educate yourself about ecofeminism? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because we have curated for you a list of 6 books that are must-reads for anyone wanting to learn more about this.
Ecofeminism is a branch of sociology and environmentalism – sometimes considered an overlap of both – which considers the relationship and interconnectedness of women and nature, and more broadly, all marginalized communities and nature. It seeks to explain how the patriarchal mode of thought and ‘development’ have subjugated Nature in much the same way that it has socially and economically excluded and oppressed women and other minorities.
Now that we have a basic idea of what it is, let’s jump into the list of books that will help us explore the subject and its nuances further.
1. Feminism Or Death by Françoise d´Eaubonne
The term ‘ecofeminism’ which connotes feminist efforts and attitudes towards environmental practices was first coined by Françoise d´Eaubonne in her revolutionary book where she argues that many parallels exist between the patriarchal suppression of women and the suppression of nature, and this suppression results in environmental destruction. This book marked the start of a number of studies conducted in this area.
2. Reweaving the World by Irene Diamond
Reweaving the World is a major resource on ecofeminism, gathering in a single volume articles, essays, and poetic prose pieces by the foremost writers, scholars, activists, artists, and spiritual teachers of this movement. Interweaving politics and philosophy, theory and activism, this provocative collection advocates a restoration of harmony in a global environment damaged by a devaluation of nature and women. Contributors include Marti Kheel, Vandana Shiva, Gloria Feman Orenstein, and many others.
3. The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology, and the Scientific Revolution by Carolyn Merchant
Through an examination of the Scientific Revolution, Merchant shows how the mechanistic worldview of modern science has sanctioned the exploitation of nature, unrestrained commercial expansion, and a new socioeconomic order that subordinates women. This is an enormously interesting and valuable book as Merchant writes from a feminist perspective and ties the rise of proto-capitalism, the rise of science, and the increasing subordination of women together in a compelling history.
4. Healing the Wounds: The Promise of Ecofeminism by Judith Plant
Drawing upon the combined vision and energy of feminist and ecological perspectives, Healing the Wounds challenges us to bring together body, mind, and spirit; the personal, political, and spiritual; theory, practice, and reflection. There are a couple of dozen contributors, and they all take very different approaches to the idea of ecofeminism, with mediums ranging from poems, and novel extracts to explorations of spirituality, sexuality, and experience. There’s something for everyone!
5. Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development by Vandana Shiva
Staying Alive defines the links between ecological crises, colonialism, and the oppression of women. It is a scholarly and polemical plea for the rediscovery of the ‘feminine principle’ in human interaction with the natural world, not as a gender-based quality, but rather as an organizing principle, a way of seeing the world. Vandana Shiva is one of the world’s most prominent ecofeminists and scientists.
6. How Women Can Save The Planet by Anne Karpf
The highest-profile climate activists today are women and girls, but it’s a very different story at the top table: the future of the planet is being decided by men. Anne Karpf dives deep into how the dominant masculinist assumptions helped produce the climate emergency, and yet it affects women particularly. It is probably one of the most accessible, lucid, and argumentative books there are on the topic, with a great list of further resources and a bibliography.
Happy reading!
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