Women As Sacred Custodians of the Earth?: Women, Spirituality and the Environment

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Low, Alaine, Contributor.

Tremayne, Soraya, Contributor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Human ecology--Religious aspects.

Human ecology.

Ecofeminism--Religious aspects.

Ecofeminism.

Women and religion.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (iv, 260 pages)

Place of Publication:

[Place of publication not identified] Berghahn Books Incorporated 2001

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Literature on women, development and environment is abundant. The relationship between women and ecology has been analyzed by various disciplines, by specialists from the North as well as the South. This book offers a new perspective, specifically to challenge the assumption that women have a special affinity with the Earth and therefore a historic mission for the care of the environment. The book explores spiritual, religious and philosophical beliefs concerning women and ecology, and whether women are truly "sacred custodians" of the Earth. This concept has evolved from ideas developed by eco-feminists. Whether and how different belief systems can be put to use to create an awareness to protect, preserve and improve ecological conditions is discussed. The collection of papers demonstrates the complexity of the issues and the variations and vulnerability of the assumed relationship between women and the environment in different cultural and political contexts. The book challenges policy solutions which are devised to be on a global scale and to create unrealistic global aspirations, and the value of targeting women in a particular attempt to achieve environmentally sustainable development.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

Contributors

1. Introduction

Part I. The Current Debate

2. Gender, Nature and Trouble with Anti-Dualism

Part II. The Sacred

3. Sacred Landscapes: Religion and the Natural Environment in the Classical World

4. Aboriginal Women and Sacred Landscapes in Northern Australia

5. The Separation of the Sexes Among Siberian Reindeer Herders

6. Priestesses and Environment in Zimbabwe

7. Rice, Women, Men, and the Natural Environment among the Kelabit of Sarawak

Part III. The Great Religions

8. Ecology and Christian Hierarchy

9. Text and Practice: Women and Nature in Islam

10. Soil as the Goddess Bhudevi in a Tamil Hindu Women’s Ritual: The Kolam in India

11. Nature and Gender in Theravada Buddhism

12. Nature, Holism and Ecofeminism: A Chinese Worldview

Part IV. New Trends

13. Children of the Gods: The Quest for Wholeness in Contemporary Paganism

Select Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781785330599

1785330594

OCLC:

994874065