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

III *ISSUE-32

Research PaperCommerce

Ecofeminism: Issues and Areas

May, 2012 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 domination of nature, racism, specialism, and other characteristics of social inequality. This fund philosophical strand of environment movement in India is advocated by Vandana Shiva. Key words: [Feminism, Ecofeminism, Ecology, Movement, sustainable development.]

* Prof. Kamble B. P.

* Dept. of Commerce, Elphinstone College, Mumbai-

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 special purity (Jagger 1883:5). It soon became understood to denote a political stance of someone committed 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 awareness of women's oppression and exploitation in society, 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 of women'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 personal lives.. The main strands of feminism- are lib-

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 environment 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 ecological concerns about global warming, ozone depletion, waste disposal, animal farming, endangered species, energy conservation, and wilderness preservation grew, 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 connections 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 feminist Francoise d'Eaubonne in 1974. And further developed by Ynestra King in 1976, and gained momentum as an ideology in the late seventies. Ecofeminism is hard to define because there are so many varieties of ecofeminism, influenced by different 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 'corporate warriors' word is important because it is used

RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

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

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's consciousness brings women close to nature. As well as women and nature are historically, culturally and biologically reproductive. So they are intimate contact and interdependent with each other. In sustaining the agriculture based on maintaining 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 feeding animals from trees or crop by products, in nurturing cows and animals, in composting and fertilizing with organic manure, the critical work of maintaining 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, fodder and humus. As women can give health and strength to their children, cattle's and mother earth which they perceive as an extension of human family. Conclusion: Women's productivity in the sustaining of life is based on nature's productivity. Women are traditional natural scientist: She is sylviculturalist, agriculturalist and water managers. Women are domestic 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.

R E F E R E N C E
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 Development (London: Zed Books, 1989 See Besty Hartmann, Reproductive 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 Development (London: Pinter, 1990) 6. Griffin, reprinted in Made From This Earth (London: Women's press, 1982),

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