Women, Gender, Sexuality 392J - S- Feminism & Envir Justice

While feminism and environmental justice are both political projects of social change, their objects or objectives are not the same. As we sink into the 21st century, amid looming fears of ecological catastrophes and socio-economic crises, is a conversation between these two projects likely to be productive for both struggles, or are their goals at odds with each other? This class will examine the perceived, existing, and potential links (or disjuncts) between feminism and environmental justice. Our interdisciplinary inquiry will be guided by questions such as: What is understood by the terms "feminism" and "environmental justice"? How have nature and the environment figured in feminist writings and feminist ideas of justice? Conversely, how do women and gender figure in ideas and struggles for environmental justice? Indeed, how do feminist ideals inform (or not) other struggles for social change (such as those of peasants, workers, ethnic groups, queer folk, and more)?