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International Indexed &Referred Research Journal, May, 2012. ISSN- 0975-3486, RNI-RAJBIL 2009/30097;VoL.III *ISSUE-32

RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

Research PaperCommerce

May, 2012

Introduction:

The word 'feminism' itself originated from

the French word feminize in the nineteenth century,

either as a medical term to describe the feminization

of male body, or to describe women with masculine

traits. When this term used in the United States in

the early part of the twentieth century it was only

used to refer to one group of women: namely that

group which asserted the uniqueness of women, the

mystical experience of motherhood and women's spe-

cial purity (Jagger 1883:5). It soon became under-

stood to denote a political stance of someone com-mitted to changing the social position of women.

There is no specific abstract definition of feminism

applicable to all women at all times. The definition

thus can and does change because feminism is based

on historically and culturally concrete realities and

levels of consciousness, perceptions and actions.

According to one feminism "it is an aware-

ness of women's oppression and exploitation in soci-

ety, at the place of work and within the family, and

conscious action to change this situation." The other

definition is a little more explicit-" Feminism is an

awareness of patriarchal control, exploitation and

oppression at the material and ideological levels ofwomen's labor, fertility and sexuality, in the family,

at the place of work and in society in general, and

conscious action by men and women to transform

the present situation." Feminism speaks with many

voices. As it touches all aspects of our social and per-

sonal lives.. The main strands of feminism- are lib-

Ecofeminism: Issues and Areas

* Prof. Kamble B. P.

* Dept. of Commerce, Elphinstone College, Mumbai-

A B S T R A C T

Ecofeminism was a term originally coined by Francois d'Eaubonne in 1974. Ecofeminism is t he theory which seeks to end all

forms of oppression. It does so by highlighting the interconnection between the dominations of humans by race, gender, and

class, on the one hand, and the dominations of the earth, on the other.

Ecofeminism is the social and political movement that regards the oppression of women and nature as interconnected. It is

one of the few movement and analysis that actually connects to movements. Ecofeminists argue that a relationship exists

between the oppression of women and the degradation of nature, and explore the intersectionality between sexism, the domi-

nation of nature, racism, specialism, and other characteristics of social inequality. This fund philosophical strand of environ-

ment movement in India is advocated by Vandana Shiva.

Key words: [Feminism, Ecofeminism, Ecology, Movement, sustainable development.]

eral, radical, socialist feminism and ecofeminism.

The Roots of Ecofeminism: Rachel Carson in her

book 'The silent spring' in 1962 warned Americans

that unless they began to take care of their environ-

ment then," all mans assaults upon the environment

(including) the contamination of air, earth, rivers and

sea with dangerous and even lethal materials. (will

undoubtedly) shatter or alter the very material -- upon

which the shape of the future depends." As ecologi-

cal concerns about global warming, ozone depletion,

waste disposal, animal farming, endangered species,

energy conservation, and wilderness preservationgrew, an environmental movement took hold in the

United Status and throughout the World.

The term 'ecofeminism' is consisting of two

words 'Eco' and Feminism. Women and nature's con-

nections are the backbone of feminism. Ecofeminism

is the social and political movement that regards the

oppression of women and nature as interconnected.

The term 'ecofeminism' was coined by French femi-

nist Francoise d'Eaubonne in 1974. And further de-

veloped by Ynestra King in 1976, and gained mo-

mentum as an ideology in the late seventies.

Ecofeminism is hard to define because there are so

many varieties of ecofeminism, influenced by differ-ent feminisms. According to Ynestra King

"Ecofeminism is about connectedness and wholeness

of theory and practice -it sees the devastation of

mother earth and human beings by the corporate

warriors as feminist concern." In this definition 'cor-

porate warriors' word is important because it is used

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International Indexed &Referred Research Journal, May, 2012. ISSN- 0975-3486, RNI-RAJBIL 2009/30097;VoL.III *ISSUE-32

RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

as 'patriarchal or 'dominant' factor who demolishing

the nature, forest, land and women. Vandana Shiva

in her book, 'Ecofeminism' coauthored with Marie

Mies says that, women are very close to nature than.

As women's birth, monthly cycle, pregnancy women'sconsciousness brings women close to nature. As well

as women and nature are historically, culturally and

biologically reproductive. So they are intimate con-

tact and interdependent with each other.

In sustaining the agriculture based on main-

taining the integrity and the fertility of the soil women

have played a major productive role, particularly in

work linked to maintaining the food cycle. In feed-

ing animals from trees or crop by products, in nur-

turing cows and animals, in composting and fertiliz-

ing with organic manure, the critical work of main-

taining ecological cycles was done by women, in part-

nership with land, trees and with animal and men.

Nature provides food for family, cattle's and soils, in

the form of vegetables, herbs, ferms, mushroom, fod-

der and humus. As women can give health and

strength to their children, cattle's and mother earthwhich they perceive as an extension of human fam-

ily.

Conclusion:

Women's productivity in the sustaining of

life is based on nature's productivity. Women are tra-

ditional natural scientist: She is sylviculturalist, ag-

riculturalist and water managers. Women are do-

mestic cultivator. In food provisioning: Women role

are as food producers and processors. Natural seed

selector and preserver: To avoid the 'terminator' seed

Women uses the natural seed from forty centuries

.Women maintaining ecological cycle of water, land

and forest. Women are soil scientist and plant breeder.

1. Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva, Ecofeminism (London: Zed

Books, 1994); Rita Arditti et.al.(eds)

2. Maria Mies, Patriarchy and Accumulation on a World Scale

(London: Zed Books, 1986)

3. Vandana Shiva, Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Develop-

ment (London: Zed Books, 1989 See Besty Hartmann, Reproduc-tive Right and Wrongs (NewY ork:Harper, 1987)

4. Rosalie Bertell, The Re-greening of the planet' in Vandana Shiva

(ed.), Close to Home (Philadelphia: New Society Publisher, 1994).

5. Adapted from Ariel Salleh, Living with Nature: Reciprocity or

Control' in R. and J. Engel (eds.), Ethics of Environment and De-

velopment (London: Pinter, 1990)

6. Griffin, reprinted in Made From This Earth (London: Women's

press, 1982),

R E F E R E N C E