Reappraisal of Vandana Shiva in Ecofeminism: From the Perspective of Strategic Maternalism

Abstract

  This study reexamines Vandana Shiva’s theory of the feminine principle (prakriti) from the perspective of strategic maternalism, aiming to demonstrate how it can help bridge the theoretical divide in ecofeminism between essentialist and social constructionist approaches. The research focuses on how Shiva’s concept, while grounded in traditional Indian philosophy, offers innovative perspectives for contemporary environmental and feminist discourse.

  Ecofeminism has been criticized for its essentialist tendencies and potential reinforcement of gender roles. The theoretical split between cultural ecofeminism, which emphasizes women’s spiritual connection with nature, and social ecofeminism, which focuses on socio-economic structures, has hindered the development of ecofeminist thought. This study argues that Shiva’s concept of the feminine principle offers a way to transcend this dichotomy, particularly when analyzed through the lens of strategic maternalism.

  The analysis reveals that Shiva’s feminine principle shares significant theoretical common ground with strategic maternalism, particularly in three aspects. First, both approaches strategically utilize essentialist concepts for political purposes without being trapped in biological determinism. Second, they both value marginalized knowledge and experiences as means for social transformation. Third, they attempt to transcend dualistic oppositions in feminist theory.

  Shiva’s feminine principle, while rooted in traditional Indian worldviews, functions as a political tool for critiquing modern development paradigms and Western patriarchal systems. Her theory particularly criticizes the “negative development” exemplified by India’s Green Revolution. Similarly, strategic maternalism reframes motherhood not as a biological essence but as a strategic resource for political empowerment. Both theories emphasize the importance of care work and subsistence perspectives in challenging dominant social paradigms.

  The study concludes that by examining Shiva’s feminine principle through the lens of strategic maternalism reveals its potential to overcome the essentialist-constructionist divide in ecofeminist theory, offering new theoretical perspectives for addressing both environmental and feminist concerns in contemporary society.