Ecofeminism and Rhetoric

Book excerpt: "...One of the very few books to have been published in the last 10 years on the declared topic of ecofeminism…the volume is a necessary and timely rethinking of ecofeminism; it includes some strikingly original essays that challenge and extend current ecofeminist thinking in exciting ways; and its general insistence on action and intervention (including rhetoric) as a way of collecting and evaluating ecofeminist thought is intelligent, effective and important." - Catriona Mortimer-Sandilands, York University B"The overall approach of an ecofeminist analysis focused on rhetoric (discourse and persuasion) is original and interesting in its promise of a new and valuable form of, or perspective on, ecofeminist analysis. Many of the chapters struck me as flat-out fascinating: both wonderfully written and truly ground-breaking in their originality of focus and integration. In fact, what I think is most wonderful about this book is its real, almost startling, originality." - Catherine Roach, University of Alabama 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 langauge to foster emancipation and liberation.