Of Trees and Women: Ecofeminist Memoirs by Wangari Maathai and Vandana Shiva

Abstract

[Abstract] This master’s thesis analyses the memoirs of two prominent ecofeminist writers-activists, Wangari Maathai and Vandana Shiva, to demonstrate the connections between the form, content, and message of their narratives. Unbowed (2006) and Terra Viva (2022), Maathai’s and Shiva’s memoirs respectively, are used to explore the connections between their personal experiences and broader social and environmental issues such as sustainability, social justice, and gender equality. The power of memoirs to connect people from all walks of life and provide insight into human experience is discussed in this thesis, with a focus on how ecofeminist memoirs contribute to the larger narrative of fostering social and environmental justice. First, I examine the memoir genre as a whole, focusing on the main characteristics in terms of form and content, where the works of Isabel Durán Giménez-Rico and Julie Rak throw light on the topic in question. Secondly, I propose a dialogue between Maathai’s and Shiva’s memoirs and examine the authors’ contributions to the ecofeminist movement, emphasizing how their personal experiences have shaped their ecofeminist activism through the form, content, and message of their memoirs. In doing so, I employ the works of Maria Mies, Karen Warren, and Greta Gaard, among others, as my ecofeminist theoretical frame. Besides, this essay also highlights the emergence of a new genre: the ecofeminist memoir, which combines personal storytelling with environmental and social justice activism. I conclude by emphasizing the importance of memoirs in breaking down the barriers that separate people and fostering social cohesion.