Carolyn Merchant and Eco-Feminism
The historian who argued that the scientific revolution created a mechanistic worldview that legitimised the domination of both nature and women, connecting ecological destruction to patriarchal thinking.
Real World
The gendered language of 'taming,' 'conquering,' and 'penetrating' nature — still common in fossil fuel advertising — illustrates Merchant's argument that patriarchal and environmental domination are linguistically and ideologically intertwined.
Exam Focus
For eco-feminism questions, always state the dual argument: domination of nature and domination of women share the same ideological root — one point without the other loses marks.
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