Gender and Ecology in Asia
Introduction
Introduction
This introductory module opens up questions regarding ‘man’s’ treatment of women and the non-human world, raising questions and exploring answers regarding patriarchy [i.e. society ruled by the dictates of the patriarch or father] and attitudes adopted towards women and the non-human world.
Some questions raised and explored will be:
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How is Nature treated in literary texts in Asia?
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How are women and nature represented in Asian texts?
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Are there ways in which women and nature are compared; treated as similar?
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Why are such comparisons effected?
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Why and how are literary texts useful in approaching the topic of gender and the non-human world, which includes animals, land, nature, vegetation, and so forth.
Thus, this introductory module to ecofeminism will combine literary analysis, environmental humanities and feminism. It will extend students’ knowledge of environmental issues relating to women. Fundamental to the study will be the literary analysis of texts taught in a scaffolded way. The module will examine literary texts by Asian women across South, East and Southeast Asia
In a continuous four-hour seminar, with intermittent breaks, we will have lectures, student presentations, videos and/or group activities. You will be taught to analyse literary texts beginning with simple poems and stories and graduating systematically to more complex texts such as novels. You will also be analyzing cultural texts such as advertisements, documentaries and films.
You will be introduced to a range of theories that undergird ecology, gender and literature, bringing these together speculatively and philosophically.
Your continual assessments will include: short two-page assignments; group presentations; a mid-term assessment and a final essay.
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Module overview and Learning outcomes
Module Overview
This introductory module to ecofeminism, which assumes no prior knowledge, will explore the connections between women and ecology. It will examine various ways in which women and the non-human world have been conceptualised and subordinated under patriarchy or the rule of the fathers. Using literary texts written by Asian women writers and relevant cultural texts such as films, it will explore real and ideological embedment of women in nature.
Fundamental to the study will be the literary analysis of texts. The module will examine literary texts by Asian women across South, East and Southeast Asia. It will introduce students to a range of literary texts beginning with simple poems, going up to complex literary texts like novels and cultural texts like films. Students will also be introduced to several relevant theoretical readings.
Description
Women around the world struggle with the various fallouts from climate crisis. This vulnerable demographic struggles to combat both real and ideological conditions connecting women and Nature. Cognizing this, the field of Ecological feminism [Ecofeminism] has grown rapidly in the past few decades. This introductory module to ecofeminism will combine literary analysis, environmental humanities and feminism. It will extend students’ knowledge of feminism and environmental issues relating to women. Fundamental to the study will be the literary analysis of texts taught in a scaffolded way. The module will examine literary texts by Asian women across South, East and Southeast Asia.
Learning Outcomes
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This will be a Level 2000 module. As such, this will serve as an introductory module to ecofeminism – the study of gender and ecology. The module will also gradually and incrementally expose students to diachronic and synchronic explorations of literature and its relationship to the issues surrounding gender and environment. This would involve understanding the historical developments in ecofeminist theory over the past two decades through the study of literary texts by Asian women writers. The students will begin from ground zero. No prior knowledge of either feminism, or ecological criticism, or indeed literary analysis will be assumed to exist. Once they complete this module, they will emerge with the skill-sets necessary to further advance to higher levels in ecofeminism and also gain a fair understanding of literary analysis. |
Assessment
Assessment
This module will have a 100% CA component. There will be no final exams.
These are the Components that constitute the Continual Assessment (CA). For more details, please see section under 'practical work'.
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Class participation |
10% |
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Mid term test |
20% |
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Term paper · Proposal (15%) · Final paper (25%) |
40% |
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Analysis of critical reading |
15% |
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Group Presentation on text |
15% |
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Total for CA: |
100% |
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Total for Final Examinations: |
0% |
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Total Assessment: |
100% |
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Practical work
Practical Work
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The 100% CA components are interconnected and articulate a clear escalating link designed to reinforce necessary skill-sets. For instance, the Analysis of critical reading that takes place on a weekly basis is important in providing the necessary theoretical knowledge of the field. The ways of analysing by both summarizing as well as critiquing the article means that students learn the important conceptual frameworks in the field of ecofeminism, but are also encouraged to not take on board these views uncritically, but through critiquing the articles, to do their own independent thinking. This skill is carried further, when they present on a primary text as a group. As a group exercise,in the group presentation they are using the Readings to understand the primary texts, which are narratives that substitute for ‘case studies’. They are also gradually learning literary modes of analysis. From this exercise, they advance to constructing their own thesis statements for their term paper proposals, where they need to necessarily combine theory and critical analysis. For this exercise they have the option of a one-to-one consultation with me before they construct their thesis statement. Finally, their term paper will be an expansion of their proposals. The mid-term test is an important way to ensure that they are all progressing at a satisfactory pace and has sound pedagogical uses. As you will see below, all the CA exercises reinforce self-learning techniques, while carefully monitoring and aiding students in their pedagogical growth.
All students will be asked to sign up for one of the compulsory critical readings uploaded to the IVLE E-Reserve. Depending on class size & the length and complexity of the reading, there will be around one to three students assigned to a reading. They will be asked to divide the article amongst themselves, either thematically or sequentially. Each student will work on the assigned segment. The analysis of each segment will contain the following: a) A summary of the segment b) A critical assessment of the segment c) An application of [any idea or ideas from] that segment to any primary text on the course. The entire analysis will be around two sides of an A4 sized paper. Students will upload this at least two days before class on their assigned week to the IVLE- "Student Submission" Workbin. This will carry an individual grade. Students should sign up as facilitators for any Reading of their choice. They cannot be facilitators for their own analysis. Grades for Facilitators will contribute in part to their ‘class participation’ grades.
During the first week of class, students will sign up to analyse one primary text on the course and present in class. They can choose to present on a short story or novel. The group, working together as a team, will need to analyse the text comprehensively, dividing it either thematically between themselves or set up a thesis statement that each of the group member argues from a different angle to establish. They will be asked to send me an outline of their presentation prior to it being uploaded to the IVLE-Student Submission Folder on their day of presentation. This exercise will help their individual abilities as well as their ability to work in a group. This assignment will carry a group grade.
At the end of six weeks, there will be a mid-term assessment, which will be conducted in class for two hours. It will have a quiz, a short answer and an essay segment.
This assignment is designed to encourage students to become independent researchers in preparation for writing long essays. In the proposal students are expected to
Reason for Topic; Reason for choice of texts; Thesis Statement; Aims of the Research; Limitations of Study and finally also generate an annotated bibliography, explaining how select secondary materials will contribute to the thesis. At least three sources from the bibliography should be from the assigned critical readings.
Based on the feedback received for their proposal, student will further revise these and produce a final term paper of around 3000-4000 words, comparing two texts on the course with relevant theoretical materials incorporated.
Participation in class discussions; participation in online [LUMINUS] Forum Discussions. 2% of the participation grades will go towards the Facilitation exercise that all students need to sign up for. |
Teaching Modes
This module will be conducted as a four-hour seminar in the afternoons. It will begin at 12.00noon and end at 4.00pm. The first two segments will be a lecture and student presentations. The third segment will involve engaging with some text, either literary or cultural. The final segment will involve student interaction and responses to the text. In between each segment there will be a short break.
Schedule
Schedule
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Each of the Compulsory Theoretical Readings (on the E-Reading list) will form the weekly reading materials from Week 2 to Week 12. Each Reading will provide the context to the topics and illuminate the theory behind the topic. The primary texts for the course are listed under READINGS in LUMINUS.
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Syllabus
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The topics that will be covered during the semester are listed below in order: Week 1 – General Introduction to Ecocriticism Week 2 –Ecofeminism and Deep Ecology Week 3 – Ecofeminism - Introduction Week 4 – Ecofeminism - Introduction Week 5 – Women and/in Nature Week 6 – Women and/in Nature Term Break Week 7 – Women, Animals and Animality Week 8 – Women, Animals and Animality Week 9 – Ecofeminism and Ecojustice Week 10 – Ecofeminism and Ecojustice Week 11 – Littoral Literatures in Asia Week 12 – Littoral Literatures in Asia |
Concluding Lecture/Revision
Synopsis
Synopsis
Beginning with a general overview of the field of Ecological criticism or ecocriticism, in the first few weeks of the semester, we will explore the connections between deep ecology and ecofeminism. We will discuss the connections and differences between these two approaches. We will determine if and why ecofeminism takes a subtler and more nuanced approach to the question of 'human treatment of the non-human world.
In the ensuing weeks, through examining literary and cultural texts, we will explore many sub-topics within ecofeminism such as 'women, animals and animality', 'ecoj-ustice and ecofeminism', 'littoral literatures' and so forth.