Women, Ecotheology and the Global South course
Ecological crises exacerbate the difficulties already faced by marginalised communities around the world. Women, especially women living in the Global South are severely impacted, facing longer walks to carry water or multiple displacements. This places them more at risk of gender-based violence. Feminist ecotheologians have attempted to respond to this in various ways. Many environmental defenders in Africa, Asia and Latin America are also women.
This course will discuss key concepts and thinking within feminist ecotheology with special reference to perspectives from the Global South. The course will provide a broad overview of the themes and discussions within feminist ecotheology, particularly how these discussions have evolved over time. The course will look at the key discussions being raised by feminist ecotheologians and faith-based activists based in the Global South, exploring how impulses from black, liberation, indigenous and womanist thinking have affected these voices. It will reflect on some of the real world effects as well, such as the violence experienced by female environmental defenders, as well as the past and present of colonial logics that entrench such violence. How does feminist ecotheology respond and resist?
The course will have a lecture component, a group activity and an interactive question and answer session. Students are encouraged to bring along any creative resources (poems, art, song) that speak to them of creation care.
About the Tutor
Anupama Ranawana is a feminist liberation theologian with expertise and interest in anticolonial theology, ecotheology and feminist justice. She is a research specialist for Christian Aid and teaches courses on faith and the environment for the Queens Foundation.
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