Ecofeminism and the Sacred

Hi everyone, Just wanted to begin to tell everyone about my Blog 2 topic Ecofeminism. In my final blog I am going to look strictly at the conceptual framework behind ecofeminism and its implications for socio-psychological variables. However there is another equally important side to ecofeminism which is rooted in our religious backgrounds and traditions. Firstly I want to give a brief definition of ecofeminsim for all those who don't know what it is. 'Ecofeminism is the position that there are important connections - historical, symbolic, theoretical - between the domination of women and the domination of non-human nature' (Warren, 1990; p125). Basically, ecofeminists argue that through a conceptual framework of hierarchical thinking, value dualisms and the logic of domination, western patriarchal culture has created a logic of oppression which rationalises prejudice and domination over women and nature. This has implications not only in non-secular but also secular western thought and traditions. Hierarchical thinking creates an 'order' in which one group or thing is higher than the other; an order that makes the higher group 'better' than the lower group. Value dualisms feed off this by assuming that in a pairing, one is better than another. For example 'light' is better than 'dark' . This thinking has been used in both 'christian and jewish religious traditions', 'european mechanistic science and enlightenment philosophy', as well as feeding into the 'desacralization of the earth in favour of a sky-god' (Adams, 1993;p2). These western thought and traditions, have systematically utilised such thinking in order to 'dominate' the previously existing 'earth religions' and pagan cultures who ultimately have no dualistic concept of 'good' and 'evil'. Futhermore this dualistic thinking leads to sky being sacred and earth being desacrilized, leading to 'domination of the natural world, fear of the body, projection of evil upon women, and world- destroying spiritual views' (Adams, 1993;p2). Interesting food for thought, in light of the problems presenting the world in changing attitudes and behaviours towards environmental degradation and the looming threat of climate change. Thats all for now!

References

Adams, C.J. (Ed.). 1993. Ecofeminism and the Sacred. Continuum, New York. Warren, K.J. 1990. The power and promise of ecological feminism. Environmental Ethics, 12, 125-146.