Class #19: Karen Warren, “The Power and Promise of Ecological Feminism”


Ecofeminism brings attention to women’s potential to bring about an ecological revolution. There are important connections, historical, experimental, symbolic, theoretical, between the domination of women and the domination of nature, an understanding of which is crucial to both feminism and environmental ethics. Warren states “Feminism is at least the movement to end sexist oppression.” Sexist oppression exists, is wrong, and must be abolished. Environmental degradation and exploitation are feminists’ issues because an understanding of them contributes to an understanding of the oppression of women. Ultimately the most important connections between the domination of women and the domination of nature are conceptual. When an oppressive conceptual framework is patriarchal, it explains, justifies, and maintains the subordination of women by men. There are three significant features of oppressive conceptual frameworks, value hierarchal thinking, value dualisms, and logic of domination. The oppressive conceptual framework which sanctions the twin dominations of women and nature is a patriarchal one characterized by all three features of an oppressive conceptual framework. Women are identified with nature and the realm of the physical, while men are identified with the human and the real of the mental. All ecofeminists agree about the way in which the logic of domination has functioned historically within patriarchal to sustain and justify the twin dominations of women and nature. The sort of logic of domination used to justify the domination, of humans by gender, racial or ethnic, or class status is also used to justify the domination of nature. Just like conceptions of gender are socially constructed, so are conceptions of nature. This implies how women and nature are conceived is a matter of historical and social reality. The discussion of the oppression and domination of nature and woman can be explained through historical time periods and different cultures. With nature we can see this historically in specific forms of social domination done to nature by humans. First person narrative is important for feminism and environmental ethics because it gives a voice to a felt sensitivity. A first person narrative gives expression to a variety of ethical attitudes and behaviors overlooked in mainstream Western ethics. The use of narrative has argumentative significance. An Eco feminists perspective about women and nature involves the shift in attitude from “arrogant perception” to loving perception” of the nonhuman world. Through narrative we can understand how ethics and ethical meaning is emerging out of the experiences we are living, rather than being imposed on these situations. Warren states that narrative also has argumentative significance by suggesting what counts as an appropriate conclusion to an ethical situation.
This article helped me draw major connections to how the oppressive realities that women have endured, are equally applicable or connected to nature. The same way women for years have been put on the back burner; we have done this with nature as well. The conceptual framework that is developed to address women as not being as “rational” or “mentally adequate” in comparison to men has created this superiority for men in society. In addition, we extend this conceptual thinking to nonhuman life as well, feeling as if us humans have the upper hand and superiority because we define ourselves as beings that have reason. I think recognizing this and drawing connections between women and nature helps us better understand that heir is a history behind the ideology that developed this framework. Therefore, it can be a step in a positive direction to challenging this ideological framework.


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