Feminist Approaches to Environmental Politics

Ecofeminism as scholarship and practice continues to polarize, draw criticism, and inspire scholarly works and politics that account for the structures of domination that perpetuate sexism and ecological exploitation. Ecofeminist scholarship grew in volume and prominence in the 1970s and 1980s but began to falter under the weight of critiques that the approach upheld gender essentialism and a white western feminism that does not account for the needs, views, politics, and orientations to the planet outside of the global north. And yet, ecofeminism still holds relevance and offers significant perspectives and tools that can respond to these important criticisms and offer key insights in the ongoing efforts to address climate change and environmental and gender injustices. As a conversation among scholars working in ecofeminist political thought, this Critical Exchange asks about the contemporary relevance of this tradition to their approach as scholars, inside and outside of the academy.