Content uploaded by Charlene Spretnak
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Charlene Spretnak on Sep 25, 2020
Content may be subject to copyright.
Critical and Constructive Contributions of Ecofeminism
Abstract
This article presents an overview of the American ecofeminist movement in 1993. Areas considered are the historical background of ecofeminist perceptions and ideas, dualistic thinking in Western philosophy and culture, ecofeminist critiques of environmental philosophy, the debate with the Deep Ecology theorists, political analysis and engagement, and the spiritual dimension of ecofeminism.
... Gersdorf (2000: 175) explains that "the West's cultural tradition" has been to "symbolically align 'nature' and 'woman'." The existence of this connection in Western rhetoric is well-documented (Carr 2000;Easlea 1986;Eisler 1990;Gaard 2002;Herles 2000;Johnson 1993;Lloyd 1984;Matthew 2001;McGuire and McGuire 1993;Plumwood 1996;Seager 1993;Spretnak 1994). Popular linguistic constructions (mother nature, fertile land, virgin forest, the rape of the earth) and animal metaphors (bitch, cow, fox, hen, shrew) provide ample evidence of the equation in cultural communication. ...
... Privileging modes of inquiry of, by, and for men, dominant modes of scholarship have produced results that rationalize masculine assumptions about reality. Those approaches tend to be closed, abstract, antagonistic, controlling, mechanistic, linear, reductionistic, dualistic, and hierarchical (McGuire and McGuire 1993;Soper 1995;Spretnak 1994). Ecofeminists have offered other ways of knowing (Glazebrook 2002;McGuire n.d.;Plumwood 2002). ...
... Rather than transcendence, some ecofeminists embrace spiritual immanence: "the idea that the sacred/god([d]ess)/ spirit is inherent WITHIN all things rather than some removed entity in the sky(transcendent)" (Dashiell 1994b). Indeed, themes of holistic spirituality, sacred whole, and seamless spiritual web resonate throughout ecofeminist literature (Gebara 1995;Ruether 1975;Spretnak 1994). ...
By drawing on the complex interplay of ecology and feminism, ecofeminists identify links between the domination of nature and the oppression of women. This volume introduces a variety of innovative approaches for advancing ecofeminist activism, demonstrating how words exert power in the world. Contributors explore the interconnections between the dualisms of nature/culture and masculine/feminine, providing new insights into sex and technology through such wide-ranging topics as canine reproduction, orangutan motherhood and energy conservation. Ecofeminist rhetorics of care address environmental problems through cooperation and partnership, rather than hierarchical subordination, encouraging forms of communication that value mutual understanding over persuasion and control. By critically examining ways that theory can help deconstruct domineering practices-exposing the underlying ideologies-a new generation of ecofeminist scholarship illuminates the transformative capacity of language to foster emancipation and liberation.
... Like all discourse that carries news of "difference," we must be careful not to overemphasize interpretations and hierarchical repositioning that may negate the very relational thinking and presence we desperately need to experience. Feminists like Rosemary Reuther (1992, n.d.) and Charlene Spretnak (1993) are writing about "ecofeminism" and turning to systemic and ecological ideas and metaphors which, after all, were always about relational thinking and interaction, though often lost in "systemic interpretation." ...
... Mulþi ecofeminiºti considerã cã existã suficiente temeiuri pentru a utiliza o imagerie femininã în relaþie cu "divinul" sau cu misterele ultime ale cosmosului, în special în societãþile patriarhale. Aceºtia se apropie de spiritualitatea Zeiþei apreciind faptul cã sacrul este imanent faþã de pãmînt, faþã de corpurile noastre ºi faþã de întreaga comunitate cosmicã 21 . Perspectiva holisticã ºi venerarea Zeiþei ca întruchipare a sacrului imanent în naturã sînt împãrtãºite ºi de vrãjitoria feministã. ...
This paper attempts to critically discuss and situate the phenomena of contemporary witchcraft (both the Wicca tradition and the feminist one). Contemporary Anglo-Saxon witchcraft is one of the components of "mystic-esoteric nebulousness". It has a particular status both among contemporary practices of witchcraft and among women-dominated religions. Among recent philosophical trends, it has affinities with ecofeminism and neopaganism. Along this line, its roots seem to indicate a connection with the ancient beliefs that characterized the matriarchal civilization of Old Europe. Finally, contemporary witchcraft finds itself well integrated in the framework of the New Age movement.
... La thèse subsidiaire à ce courant militantiste et/ou philosophique est celle des relations historiques, symboliques, théoriques, expérientielles et politiques entre l'oppression des femmes et l'attitude envers la nature (Spretnak, 1993 ;Warren, 1996). Il s'agit donc d'une extension de la lutte contre le sexisme à la lutte contre l'oppression de la nature ( Le « féminisme vert » est souvent inclus dans le vaste mouvement de la Nouvelle Ere. ...
Market capitalism has increased wealth beyond the imagination of previous generations, but cannot, in and of itself, distribute it equally or even equitably. These are problems that cannot be solved within the terms set by modernity, for the simple reason that they are not procedural, but rather valuational or, to use the simple word, moral. There is no way of bypassing difficult moral choices by way of a scientific decision-procedure that states "Maximize X". We first have to decide which X we wish to maximize, and how to weigh X against Y when the pursuit of one damages the fulfilment of the other. The human project is inescapably a moral project. » Jonathan Sacks (in Dunning, 2003) 1. Tableau général La relation de l'homme avec l'environnement / la nature, ou plutôt les relations de l'humanité avec son milieu naturel, constitue un sujet dont le traitement, même sommaire, requiert des notions qui impliquent le mythe, les traditions, les religions, les cultures, les systèmes philosophiques, politiques et économiques. L'écologie, par excellence science interdisciplinaire, (méta)science des interactions, trouve ici un vaste champ d'étude, à son niveau culturel et idéologique 1 . La relation homme – nature tient aussi de la philosophie (parce qu'il s'agit de la place de l'homme dans le monde). Le mot environnement serait d'après Cooper et Carling (1999) lié à une métaphore qui suggère l'absence d'autonomie (par rapport au mot environné) et devrait son succès au fait qu'il est plein 1 les autres deux dimensions de l'écologie sont celle naturelle et celle sociopolitique (Spooner, 1984).
... Mulþi ecofeminiºti considerã cã existã suficiente temeiuri pentru a utiliza o imagerie femininã în relaþie cu "divinul" sau cu misterele ultime ale cosmosului, în special în societãþile patriarhale. Aceºtia se apropie de spiritualitatea Zeiþei apreciind faptul cã sacrul este imanent faþã de pãmînt, faþã de corpurile noastre ºi faþã de întreaga comunitate cosmicã 21 . Perspectiva holisticã ºi venerarea Zeiþei ca întruchipare a sacrului imanent în naturã sînt împãrtãºite ºi de vrãjitoria feministã. ...
The paper attempts to critically discuss and situate the phenomena of contemporary witchcraft (both the Wicca tradition and the feminist one). Contemporary Anglo-Saxon witchcraft is one of the components of the “mystic-esoteric nebulousness”. It gains a particular status both among the contemporary practices of witchcraft and among women-dominated religions. Among the recent philosophical trends, it has affinities with ecofeminism and neopaganism. On this line, its roots seem to indicate a connection with the ancient beliefs that characterized the matriarchal civilization of Old Europe. Finally, contemporary witchcraft finds itself well integrated in the framework of New Age movement.
Vysokoškolská učebnica predstavuje panorámu ekologicko - etických konceptov - ekologické etiky, ako možnosť kultúrneho vývoja a naznačuje pokračujúce hľadanie vzťahov s cieľom uznať význam etiky a jej vplyvu na naše porozumenie a náš vzťah so svetom prírody, vrátane scenárov primerane odrážajúcich interakciu človek - príroda v celej ich zložitosti. Osobitná pozornosť je venovaná otázke vnútorného hodnotenie prírody, ľudského a mimoľudského života, a to tak na individuálnej a holistickej úrovni (biocentrizmu) a hodnote fyzikálnych prvkov ekosystémov (ecocentrism).
Environmental theology is a term generally used to describe physical-spiritual worldviews and associated ethics. It has been found that an operational definition or description for environmental theology is not readily available. The purpose of this report is to provide an accessible and objective overview of a topic of interest to environmental educators.
Strategies for developing critical and active environmental literacy in adults are discussed in the context of developing and participating in the social practices likely to change the way our societies think about and act on ecological issues.
The discussion about holistic education (HE) should focus on issues and consequences for teacher training. This is the red line of this chapter. If the paradigm of HE does not encourage and stimulate consequences in different fields of pedagogy and educational practice including teacher training, it is nothing more than a theoretical exercise. It should help to stimulate to change the perspective of teachers, their attitudes, their professional understanding, their understanding of learning and teaching towards the purpose of education that is to nurture human potential in as comprehensive sense.
Standards of teacher training and quality of teaching are in the focus of the educational debate in many countries today. It is anew in discussion how school works, what basics of professional teaching are needed and what qualifications teachers should have.
This chapter presents elements of holistic education that can be linked to teacher training. In the first part, some basic information about HE is presented. The second part introduces three main perspectives of approaches that include elements of HE represented by Parker Palmer and Paulo Freire, two well-know educators, and by Peter Senge who is known for his Fifth Discipline approach of organisational learning that has created great resonance also in the area of schooling.
The chapter concludes with a summary and outlook.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.