Call for Chapter Proposals: Series on Ecofeminism

Gabrie'l Atchison Discussion

Deadline for submissions: December 14, 2018

Gabrie'l J. Atchison, PhD/ Buffalo State College

contact email: 

atchisgj@buffalostate.edu

I am currently in the process of compiling a multivolume series on Ecofeminism. Professors, independent scholars and graduate students are welcome to propose a chapter for the collection. I am particularly interested in Eco-Womanist and Queer voices.

Introduction

Ecofeminism is the only political framework I know that can spell out the historical links between neoliberal capital, militarism, corporate science, worker alienation, domestic violence, reproductive technologies … deforestation, genetic engineering, climate change and the myth of modern progress. Ecofeminist solutions are also synergistic; the organization of daily life around subsistence fosters food sovereignty, participatory democracy and reciprocity with natural ecosystems. – Ariel Salleh

 

Ecofeminism is a branch of feminist thought which grew out of the antiwar and environmental justice movements of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Even though Post-structural feminists critiqued the earlier movement for being essentialist and limited in its analysis of race and class differences, contemporary feminists with a concern about ecological destruction have begun to embrace the term once more. Ecofeminists explore the relationship between the exploitation of nature and the subjugation of women and find that capitalism and patriarchy are at the core of these interconnected struggles. Ecofeminism is grounded, intersectional feminist theory placing women’s lives at the center of analysis while being conscious of the ways in which race, class and sexuality create different realities for marginalized women. Theorists consider how women are disproportionately impacted by environmental crises in their roles as the gatherers of water, farmers, and caretakers of children, the elderly and the sick.

As the field evolved, ecofeminism provided a space to discuss the impact of racism, colonialism, slavery and genocide on U.S. women of color and women of the Global South. Capitalism and patriarchy create a situation in which nature as well as women’s bodies are seen as resources to be objectified, controlled, used and discarded. Ecofeminism provides the tools to fight this oppression on multiple fronts. While much of ecofeminist scholarship is focused on deconstructing oppressive forces, it also provides a vision for alternative ways of being that involves honoring all people and inspiring respect for the earth.

This multivolume series on Ecofeminism considers the intersectional analysis offered by feminist thinkers and explores how ecofeminist concepts have been utilized in the social sciences and the humanities. The broader goal of the series is to encourage readers to explore the multifaceted field of ecofeminism. Ecofeminists work to deconstruct intersecting forms of oppression against women and the destruction of nonhuman living things and the earth; however, there is also an effort to provide alternative ways of thinking and ways of life that sustain us all. Ecofeminist theorists and activists work to create loving communities where deep connection is valued. They understand that the struggle for the dignity of women will not be complete if we do not also include the liberation of the earth.

 

Target Audience

The target audience for the series would include upper level undergraduate students, those approaching the scholarship with a working understanding of intersectional feminism. Graduate students in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS), Ethnic Studies, African and African American Studies and Environmental Studies would also find the series helpful as would professors with courses in these areas. Independent scholars, students in divinity schools and seminaries and clergy would be interested in this series, because Environmental Justice is a growing area of interest for many churches and denominations.

 

Recommended Topics

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Ecofeminism and Religion, especially Islam, Bahai, Judaism or Buddhism 
  • Environmental Justice and Prisons
  • Ecofeminism and Disability Studies 
  • Ecofeminist Literary Criticism
  • Intersectionality/Race  & Ecofeminism
  • Queer Ecofeminism/ Queer Ecology
  • Ecofeminism and  Womanist Voices
  • Ecofeminism and Social Justice
  • Ecofeminism in Art or Film Criticism
  • Ecofeminist Ethics/ Ecofeminist Theology
  • Poverty and Environmental Racism
  • Gender and Sustainable Development
  • Ecofeminism in India/ Latin America

 

 

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR CHAPTER PROPOSAL

Please send a proposal package with the following items, by Friday, December 14th, 2018.

  • Chapter Title
  • Proposed Length/ Word Count
  • Summary (1-2 paragraphs)
  • A Short Bio

 Send your proposal to – Dr. Gabrie’l J. Atchison, Adjunct Professor, Women’s and Gender Studies Department, Buffalo State College. Email: atchisgj@buffalostate.edu.

Gabrie'l J. Atchison, PhD
Buffalo State College
www.gabrieljatchison.com

Atchison, Short Bio

Gabrie’l J. Atchison holds the doctorate in Women’s Studies with a background in African American Studies. She most recently earned the degree of Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School with a concentration in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Dr. Atchison’s work explores gender-based violence in the African American community, the role of sexual violence in the spread of HIV/AIDS and domestic minor sex trafficking. Dr. Atchison’s recent consultancy with the LGBT Faith Leaders of African Descent has inspired her to consider the rejection of LGBT, African American Christians from “The Black Church” as a human rights violation. Dr. Atchison is currently an adjunct professor at Buffalo State in the Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies Department (WGS). She is a contributor for a number of ABC-CLIO publications including Misogyny in American CultureRace in Film and 50 Events that Shape African American History and has written articles for HerizonsSojourner, Spotlight on Recovery and Southern Studies