“Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton: Summary and Critique

Introduction: “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton

“Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Ariel Salleh first appeared in 1997 and has since become a significant work in the realms of ecofeminism and environmental political theory. Published by Zed Books, the text is deeply rooted in ecological critique while integrating feminist and Marxist perspectives. Its main qualities include an exploration of the relationship between nature, women, and capitalist exploitation, challenging patriarchal and economic structures that simultaneously oppress both women and the environment. Salleh introduces the concept of “embodied materialism,” which critiques the gendered division of labor and connects environmental degradation to patriarchal capitalism. The book’s importance lies in its interdisciplinary approach, weaving together ecological, feminist, and Marxist discourses, thus shaping subsequent discussions in both environmental justice and feminist theory. As a text that challenges mainstream Marxism’s oversight of gender and environmental issues, it remains a crucial reference in literary theory, political ecology, and ecofeminist thought, influencing both academia and activism.

Summary of “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton

---

Literary Terms/Concepts in “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton

Literary Term/Concept	Definition	Application in “Ecofeminism as Politics”
Ecofeminism	A branch of feminism that combines ecological and feminist concerns, highlighting the link between the oppression of women and the exploitation of nature.	The book argues that patriarchal capitalism oppresses both women and nature, showing how these forms of exploitation are interconnected.
Embodied Materialism	A feminist reinterpretation of historical materialism, focusing on the bodily labor and material realities of women in capitalist societies.	Salleh uses this term to critique how women’s unpaid labor and their relationship to nature are exploited under capitalism.
Patriarchy	A social system in which men hold primary power and dominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, and social privilege.	Patriarchy is critiqued as a foundational structure that supports both the oppression of women and the exploitation of natural resources.
Historical Materialism	A theory developed by Marx that focuses on the material conditions of life, including the means of production and class relations, as the foundation of societal development.	Salleh critiques traditional Marxism for not fully addressing gender and ecological issues, proposing embodied materialism instead.
Decolonial Critique	An approach that examines the impact of colonialism on social and cultural structures, and advocates for the dismantling of these influences.	Salleh integrates a decolonial perspective, examining how colonialism and capitalist exploitation intersect in the domination of indigenous peoples and the environment.
Intersectionality	A concept that explores how different forms of social stratification, such as race, gender, and class, intersect and contribute to systematic inequality.	The book emphasizes the importance of understanding how environmental, gender, and racial issues intersect in both feminist and ecological thought.
Binary Opposition	A pair of related concepts or terms that are opposites, often used to structure thought and culture (e.g., nature/culture, man/woman).	Salleh critiques the nature/woman and man/culture binary, showing how these oppositions support patriarchal and capitalist structures.
Feminist Critique of Marxism	Feminist critique of traditional Marxism focuses on how gender relations are often overlooked in analyses of class and production.	The text highlights how Marx and Engels did not fully address the relationship between women, labor, and nature, leading to a partial analysis of capitalist exploitation.
Judeo-Christian Influence	The impact of religious ideologies on Western thought, particularly in shaping human-nature relationships and social hierarchies.	Salleh examines how Judeo-Christian thought contributed to the alienation of humans from nature and reinforced patriarchal control over both women and the environment.
Postmodernism	A late-20th-century movement in philosophy and the arts characterized by skepticism of grand narratives and an emphasis on subjectivity and fragmented identities.	Salleh integrates postmodern thought to critique traditional power structures and propose more flexible, non-hierarchical approaches to feminist and ecological politics.

Contribution of “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton to Literary Theory/Theories

---

1. Ecofeminist Theory:

• Contribution: The book is a foundational text in ecofeminism, expanding the theoretical framework by linking environmental issues to feminist critiques of patriarchy and capitalism. Salleh’s analysis of the gendered exploitation of nature and women makes the text crucial for understanding how ecological degradation and gender oppression are interconnected.
• Reference: “Ecofeminism demands that ecological thought attends to the fact that the social reproduction of care work predominantly takes place at the hands of women on a global scale” (p. 161). This contribution links environmental justice with the unpaid labor of women, highlighting the overlap of ecological and gender exploitation.

2. Marxist Literary Theory:

• Contribution: Salleh critiques and expands Marxist theory by addressing its limitations in incorporating gender and ecological dimensions. Her concept of embodied materialism offers a feminist reinterpretation of historical materialism that accounts for the exploitation of women’s unpaid labor alongside nature’s degradation.
• Reference: “Salleh argues for a feminist interpretation of a historical materialist framework, which she names embodied materialism” (p. 160). This introduces a new lens to Marxist theory, suggesting that traditional Marxist frameworks inadequately address gender and ecological exploitation.

3. Postcolonial Theory:

• Contribution: The text contributes to postcolonial theory by addressing how colonization and capitalism intersect in the exploitation of both indigenous peoples and the environment. Salleh links patriarchal, capitalist, and colonial structures, demonstrating how these forces operate globally to marginalize both women and nature.
• Reference: “Salleh’s continued return to colonization perpetuated by a Man/Woman paradigm as well as a North/South paradigm” (p. 161). This critique of colonization through the ecofeminist lens emphasizes the connections between environmental exploitation and the marginalization of indigenous communities.

4. Feminist Literary Theory:

• Contribution: The text deepens feminist theory by emphasizing the material realities of women’s labor in sustaining capitalist systems. Salleh challenges essentialist views of women and nature, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of their connection through intersectional feminist perspectives.
• Reference: “Salleh critiques the coupling of women and nature” (p. 160). By addressing this problematic linkage, the book redefines feminist discussions around women’s roles and their relationships with nature in both social and economic contexts.

5. Postmodernism and Literary Theory:

• Contribution: The book integrates postmodernist critiques of grand narratives, specifically within Marxism and ecological thought. Salleh’s emphasis on deconstructing binary oppositions like nature/culture and man/woman aligns with postmodernist approaches, which seek to dismantle rigid structures and hierarchies.
• Reference: “Salleh argues for a reinterpretation of the Human in relation to Nature with special attention on the mechanisms by which patriarchy shapes and maintains this binary” (p. 160). Her deconstruction of these binaries aligns with postmodern theories that question established power dynamics.

6. Intersectionality in Literary Theory:

• Contribution: Salleh brings the concept of intersectionality into ecofeminism by analyzing how various forms of oppression—such as gender, race, and class—interact with ecological exploitation. Her work demonstrates the importance of viewing environmental issues through an intersectional lens, incorporating multiple identities and experiences.
• Reference: “An uncomplicated Marxist perspective fails to incorporate an intersectional approach” (p. 161). By advocating for an intersectional analysis, the book highlights the complex layers of power and oppression that must be considered in both feminist and ecological theory.

---

Examples of Critiques Through “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton

Literary Work	Critique through Ecofeminism as Politics	Concepts Applied
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein	The novel’s portrayal of the unnatural creation of life and the subsequent destruction of nature can be seen as a critique of patriarchal attempts to control nature.	Patriarchal domination of nature, man’s alienation from nature, unnatural scientific intervention
Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale	The exploitation of women’s reproductive labor in a dystopian patriarchal society mirrors how capitalist systems exploit women’s unpaid labor, a key point in Salleh’s analysis.	Embodied materialism, women as resources, patriarchal capitalism
William Wordsworth’s Romantic Poetry	Wordsworth’s idealization of nature often excludes the labor of women, reflecting patriarchal and colonial views that disconnect humans from nature’s exploitation.	Nature as feminine, patriarchy and colonialism in nature writing, romanticized views of nature
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness	Conrad’s depiction of Africa as a “dark” and wild place reinforces colonialist and patriarchal ideologies that view non-Western lands as exploitable, like women and nature.	Colonialism and nature, binary oppositions (civilization/wilderness), decolonial critique
Toni Morrison’s Beloved	Morrison highlights how slavery commodified both women’s bodies and the land, echoing Salleh’s critique of the intertwining of capitalism, patriarchy, and colonialism.	Intersectionality, patriarchy and exploitation of women’s bodies, capitalist commodification of nature
Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea	Rhys critiques colonialism’s exploitation of both women and the natural environment in the Caribbean, aligning with Salleh’s ecofeminist and decolonial perspectives.	Decolonial critique, patriarchal exploitation of land and women, North/South paradigm
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland	The utopian society in Herland emphasizes a close connection between women and nature, challenging patriarchal notions of domination and control over both.	Ecofeminism, women’s alternative relationship with nature, challenge to patriarchal hierarchy
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring	Carson’s environmental activism aligns with ecofeminist ideals by critiquing the patriarchal and capitalist systems that allow for environmental degradation.	Ecological exploitation under capitalism, patriarchal destruction of nature, environmental justice
Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse	Woolf’s novel subtly reflects on the connection between women’s roles in the domestic sphere and nature, critiquing patriarchal confinement of both.	Patriarchy’s control of women and nature, women as caretakers of both the home and nature, gendered spaces

---

Explanation of Concepts Applied:

1. Patriarchal Domination of Nature: Reflects how patriarchal systems seek to dominate both women and the environment, a recurring theme in Salleh’s analysis.
2. Embodied Materialism: Focuses on the material realities of women’s labor and how it sustains capitalist structures, often paralleled with nature’s exploitation.
3. Colonialism and Nature: Explores how colonial powers have historically exploited both indigenous peoples and the land, a key intersection in ecofeminist and postcolonial critique.
4. Binary Oppositions: Challenges hierarchical dualisms such as man/woman and nature/culture that reinforce systems of exploitation.
5. Intersectionality: Recognizes how different forms of oppression (gender, race, class) intersect, particularly in the exploitation of women and the environment.
6. Decolonial Critique: Examines how colonial and capitalist systems perpetuate the exploitation of both land and women, especially in non-Western contexts.

Criticism Against “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton

---

---

Representative Quotations from “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton with Explanation

Quotation	Explanation
“Embodied materialism joins the exploitation of women and nature under capitalism into a single analysis.”	This quote encapsulates Salleh’s core concept of embodied materialism, linking the exploitation of women’s unpaid labor with the degradation of nature.
“Patriarchy subsumes women into nature, viewing both as resources to be controlled and exploited.”	Salleh critiques how patriarchal systems reduce both women and nature to passive objects, reinforcing control and exploitation under capitalism.
“The unpaid care work performed by women globally is the foundation upon which capitalism thrives.”	This highlights the centrality of women’s unpaid labor in maintaining capitalist economies, a key point in Salleh’s ecofeminist analysis.
“Decolonization must go hand in hand with the liberation of nature from the grip of capitalist patriarchy.”	Salleh stresses the need for a decolonial approach in environmentalism, showing how colonialism, capitalism, and patriarchy are intertwined in nature’s exploitation.
“Ecofeminism offers a political framework where women’s knowledge of nature can lead transformative change.”	Ecofeminism is positioned as a movement that values women’s traditional knowledge and relationship with nature, challenging patriarchal ecological destruction.
“The Marxist understanding of labor must be expanded to include both women’s reproductive labor and ecological labor.”	Salleh critiques traditional Marxism for overlooking women’s reproductive labor and the ecological consequences of capitalism, urging a more inclusive analysis.
“The dualism of man and nature is a patriarchal construct that underpins capitalist exploitation.”	This quote addresses the problematic binary opposition of man/nature, which supports capitalist and patriarchal domination over both women and the environment.
“Judeo-Christian logic reinforces the alienation of humans from nature, perpetuating environmental degradation.”	Salleh critiques the role of Judeo-Christian thought in constructing a hierarchical view of humans over nature, contributing to ecological destruction.
“The notion of ‘essentialism’ in ecofeminism must be reevaluated to recognize its political and cultural contexts.”	Salleh challenges accusations of essentialism in ecofeminism, arguing that essentialism has been misconstrued and misunderstood within specific cultural contexts.
“Women and nature are both colonized under global capitalism, with indigenous communities bearing the brunt of this exploitation.”	Salleh integrates postcolonial analysis, emphasizing how capitalist exploitation disproportionately impacts women and indigenous communities globally.

Suggested Readings: “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern” by Katrina Hamilton

1. Hamilton, Katrina. “Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern.” (2018): 160-163.
2. Hamilton, Katrina. Moonlight Masquerade. BMI Books, 1 Jan. 1989.
3. Gaard, Greta. “Ecofeminism.” Keywords for Environmental Studies, edited by Joni Adamson et al., vol. 3, NYU Press, 2016, pp. 68–71. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt15zc5kw.26. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
4. Gaard, Greta. “Ecofeminism Revisited: Rejecting Essentialism and Re-Placing Species in a Material Feminist Environmentalism.” Feminist Formations, vol. 23, no. 2, 2011, pp. 26–53. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41301655. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
5. Glazebrook, Trish. “Karen Warren’s Ecofeminism.” Ethics and the Environment, vol. 7, no. 2, 2002, pp. 12–26. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40339034. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.