JAN 100 - Ecofeminism: Women, Land, & Resistance

Culturally we are taught that women are akin to nature, that Earth is our mother, that land and fertility are female. With the understanding that Western thought is laden with symbols of nature as woman, we can begin to unravel how the same forces of patriarchy that position man above nature, also position men above women. Ecofeminism is a concept coined in the 1970s that directly connects the destruction of the Earth and the oppression of women, and calls for an ecofeminist approach to healing our relationship with the planet.

Learning from case studies of women-led resistance movements from across the globe, we will ask: How might we apply these practices today to address some of our most pressing social and environmental problems? How can today’s ecofeminism reject binary norms and uplift a new radical ecology? How can we transform our approach to food and nutrition, climate change, waterways, and caring for our own bodies in ways that reject patriarchal norms? 

Students will address these questions in our month-long scholarly and personal inquiry, while creating their own unique impact through a community engagement project. Our partnership with the SMC Legacy Garden will foster deep engagement with the land and the campus community.

Core Designations: Global Perspectives and Community Engagement

Instructor(s): Kristen Sbrogna
Email:  ks13@stmarys-ca.edu

Prerequisites & Notes
Prerequisites:  SOC 124 - Justice and Community OR SOC 125 - Gender and Society OR ANTH 125 - Gender and Culture OR ANTH 134 - Issues in Globalization OR GRS01 - Intro to Global and Regional Studies OR JCL 130 - Environmental Justice OR JCL 140 - The Global Community OR TRS 171 - Gender and Religion in American Culture OR TRS 174 - Sustainability, Religion, Spirituality OR POL 135 - Environmental Politics OR equivalent prior coursework or life experience in Women’s and Gender Studies and/or Environmental Studies and Sustainability. Contact Professor Sbrogna (ks13).
Course Fee:  35

Credits: 1