Ecofeminism [Paperback]

Maria Mies (Author), Vandana Shiva (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1993

Two of Zed's best-known authors, one an economist, the other a physicist and philosopher, come together in this book on a controversial environmental agenda. Using interview material, they bring together women's perspectives from North and South on environmental deterioration and develop and new way of approaching this body of knowledge which is at once practical and philosophical.

Do women involved in environmental movements see a link between patriarchy and ecological degradation? What are the links between global militarism and the destruction of nature? In exploring such questions, the authors criticize prevailing theories and develop an intellectually rigorous ecofeminist perspective rooted in the needs of everyday life. They argue for the acceptance of limits, the rejection of the commoditization of needs, and a commitment to a new ethics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Zed Books; First Edition edition (October 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1856491560
• ISBN-13: 978-1856491563
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction > Philosophy

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Do you call yourself a feminist? September 16, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

If you call youself a feminist, you need to read this book! It will change the way you think about western feminists and the relationships between nature, women, and capitalism.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ecofeminists for life? August 27, 2010

By Ashtar Command

Format:Paperback

"Ecofeminism" by Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva is a collection of articles dealing with various aspects of ecofeminism, a relatively new and somewhat controversial philosophy. Ecofeminism isn't a simple combination of Green and feminist ideas. Rather, it's a very specific current, which often runs counter to more regular feminism.

The ecofeminists reject the Enlightenment, the bourgeois revolutions and modern individualism. They also attack modern science for its materialism and reductionism. Women are seen as closer to Nature, and ecofeminists therefore see a connection between patriarchal oppression of women and destruction of the environment. In terms of greenness, ecofeminists could be considered "dark greens" or "fundis", since they seem to reject the entire modern civilization in favour of a society based on subsistence agriculture. Strangely for dark greens, however, they don't consider overpopulation to be a problem.

While ecofeminism is regarded as left-wing (no doubt because of its anti-hierarchic perspective), its anti-Enlightenment, anti-science, communitarian and "organismic" perspective does have obvious affinities with a certain kind of conservative philosophies. And while Mies and Shiva nominally defend the right of abortion, they actually seem to vacillate on the issue. It would seem that they really oppose both abortion and modern contraception (including condoms) in favour of coitus interruptus. This is a very extreme position, reminiscent of certain religious groups. Curiously, there is a mostly-religious group in the United States called Feminists for Life (FFL) which explicitly opposes abortion and is neutral on contraception, no doubt in order to recruit Catholics. Unless I'm mistaken, FFL is loosely associated with a Catholic current known as Consistent Life Ethic. Apparently, the most radical supporters of this current are animal rights activists and vegetarians.

There doesn't seem to be anything in particular precluding a fusion of ecofeminism and the anti-abortion "feminists", except perhaps the traditional left-right divide.

I can't say I like it. I'm a feminist. But apparently, not an ecofeminist for life.

(Since the book is a good introduction to ecofeminism, I gave it five stars despite disagreeing with much of the contents.)

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting concepts but dry to read January 2, 2013

By mcccashew

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I do not consider myself a feminist or normally reading these types of books, but ordered it because the title and summary (eco + feminism) raised my interest. The book brings interesting ideas and concepts, but was very dry to read (fine prints, heavy paragraphs and chapters, yellowish pages, no pictures or illustrations), and found towards the end that some concepts were being repeated or recycled from earlier on in the book. I preferred Shiva's chapters.