Gendered oppression and environmental exploitation: An ecofeminist study of selected Pakistani novels

The study seeks to analyze the intersection of gender oppression and ecological violence in contemporary Pakistani literary works from an ecofeminist viewpoint. It, therefore, focuses on four selected novels: Before She Sleeps (2018) by Bina Shah, Trespassing (2003) by Uzma Aslam Khan, The Shadow of the Crescent Moon (2013) by Fatima Bhutto, and The Wandering Falcon (2011) by Jamil Ahmad. The research has used a qualitative method to study the connections between the patriarchy, economic exploitation, and ecological destruction in these texts because of the anthropization of women and nature. The study employs a painstaking textual analysis and thematic approach to depict micro-level recurring themes of female subjugation, environmental change, and resistance towards socio-political order. The analysis is guided in particular by the ecofeminist approaches of Vandana Shiva and Greta Gaard, which explain the combination of gender and ecological violence in a capitalistic society with patriarchy. This work contributes to the existing body of knowledge on ecofeminism by extending its application to the Pakistani literature and addressing complex interrelations of gender and nature.