Ecofeminism as a Traveling Theory: French and German Perspectives

Abstract In this article, I examine the phenomenon of ecofeminism as a traveling theory from a Franco-German perspective. In France, ecofeminism has been published on a massive scale in recent years, while in Germany, no comparable phenomenon can be observed. After presenting the ecofeminist traditions and approaches in both language areas, in a second part, I analyze the various transfers and translations in Franco-German ecofeminisms on the basis of three central themes: first, feminist discussions of the concept of nature, which largely share a form of antinaturalism in both countries, but take different forms depending on local theoretical tradition; second, the critique of reason negotiated in ecofeminism, which in Germany is based on critical theory and in France stems from the contemporary and theological wing of ecofeminism; and finally, the complex question of degrowth and postcolonialism, which brings the global dimension of ecological politics and its gendered forms onto the scene.