BOOK REVIEW

摘要

This concise book presents a series of diverse essays that are both insightful and intellectually disturbing, especially for the reader (like myself) who has long operated within the "bubble" of a decidedly masculine paradigm of inquiry. In particular, the observation that women are identified literally and symbolically with the natural world and concomitantly devalued and subordinated by this association is wrongheaded and disheartening. First, I agree with most ecofeminists that humankind is part of nature, not separate from it. Second, the irony of using false dualisms (human culture versus biological nature) to subordinate women (by virtue of their special biological role in perpetuating humankind) is deeply unfortunate and terribly sad. Ironically, as many writers in this volume argue, this dualistic thinking continues despite the efforts of feminist theory and practice. [Note: the 2012 United States (US) presidential election debate and continuing actions of the US Congress that substantiate the reality portrayed by ecofeminists.]