Routledge Feminism and the Mastery of Nature (Opening Out: Feminism for Today)

Two of the most important political movements of the late twentieth century are those of environmentalism and feminism. In this book, Val Plumwood argues that feminist theory has an important opportunity to make a major contribution to the debates in political ecology and environmental philosophy. Feminism and the Mastery of Nature explains the relation between ecofeminism, or ecological feminism, and other feminist theories including radical green theories such as deep ecology. Val Plumwood provides a philosophically informed account of the relation of women and nature, and shows how relating male domination to the domination of nature is important and yet remains a dilemma for women. Review 'This book is path-breaking systematically extending the feminist critique of international locking dualisms in Western philosophy to argue that the domination of nature flows from them as much as the domination of race, gender and class.' - Environmental Politics 'Puncturing the myth of 'the angel in the ecosystem', Plumwood aims to develop a genuinely critical ecological feminism. Her book is lively, intelligent and politically shrewd.' - Nancy Fraser, Northwestern University 'I began by saying that Feminism and the Mastery of Nature should shake the conceptual structures of philosophy to their foundations. I am convinced it can do this. Plumwood does a stunning job of showing us how deep the habits of mastery are buried in our rational life ... I can't wait for her next book' - Patsy Hallen, Australian Journal of Philosophy 'Val Plumwood's lucid, intelligent and beautifully written Feminism and the Mastery of Nature should be an enriching experience and a source of academically rigourous arguement for philosophy students and graduates...because the author combines the intellectual capacity to see all the complexities of an issue with the writing skill to identify and explain them clearly, in language that's simple without being simplistic, it's a valuable and useful book.' - Phoebe Thorndyke, Chain Reaction 'I found all but four pages of Plumwood's book to be accessible, valuable and even witty.' - Greta Gaard, Environmental Ethics 'Now, for the first time, in Val Plumwood's Feminism and the Mastery of Nature , a clear well crafted, academic analysis of ecofeminism is presented which refutes many of the misconceptions of ecofeminism and which makes a persuasive arguement for ecofeminism as a valuable philosophy.' - Cat Cox, The Ecologist From the Back Cover This book draws on the feminist critique of reason to argue that the master form of rationality of western culture has been systematically unable to acknowledge dependency on nature, the sphere of those it has defined as 'inferior' others. Because its knowledge of the world is systematically distorted by the elite domination which has shaped it, the master rationality has developed 'blind spots' which may threaten our survival. The future depends increasingly on our ability to create a truly democratic and ecological culture beyond dualism.