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lattelibrarian's review
4.0
There’s a story out there where a woman works hard to sweep and keep her house clean. And then a vacuum cleaner factory stations itself in the town, and all the women buy a vacuum cleaner--after all, they're so much more effective! Yet the factory causes so much smoke and dust to settle on the floor that it takes twice as much effort for the woman to keep her floors clean.
That's what's been happening in India for nearly the past century. More and more dams are being built, businesses are reliant upon the forests, and in "creating" opportunities for work and capitalism, they displace entire villages, separating families from the life sources that are water and foliage. And, of course, this isn't to mention the fact that the climate is changing and that much has changed in the past 30 years.
Women have physically put their bodies on the line while men have allowed themselves to be corrupt, gaining extra food and money while existing in a society that doesn't need extra food or mainstream money. Women are the ones doing most of the hard labor on farms and crops, and are the ones doing most of the labor indoors. And yet they are the ones being affected the most--health problems are on the rise for both them and their children (both in and out of utero).
But where are the men? Hopeful that development will lead to progress--though Shiva's book argues that progress isn't linear, and that developmental progress is not progressive for those who are most affected by it.
Staying Alive is a hugely informative book written by one of the most well-known land justice advocates out there. If you're searching for a place to begin on this topic, this would be it. Though this isn't exactly an easy read, it's a hugely important one that I urge all of my peers to read.
Review cross-listed here!
That's what's been happening in India for nearly the past century. More and more dams are being built, businesses are reliant upon the forests, and in "creating" opportunities for work and capitalism, they displace entire villages, separating families from the life sources that are water and foliage. And, of course, this isn't to mention the fact that the climate is changing and that much has changed in the past 30 years.
Women have physically put their bodies on the line while men have allowed themselves to be corrupt, gaining extra food and money while existing in a society that doesn't need extra food or mainstream money. Women are the ones doing most of the hard labor on farms and crops, and are the ones doing most of the labor indoors. And yet they are the ones being affected the most--health problems are on the rise for both them and their children (both in and out of utero).
But where are the men? Hopeful that development will lead to progress--though Shiva's book argues that progress isn't linear, and that developmental progress is not progressive for those who are most affected by it.
Staying Alive is a hugely informative book written by one of the most well-known land justice advocates out there. If you're searching for a place to begin on this topic, this would be it. Though this isn't exactly an easy read, it's a hugely important one that I urge all of my peers to read.
Review cross-listed here!
wmapayne's review against another edition
4.0
Vandana Shiva is one of the most prolific writers of the ecofeminist movement, a type of intersectional feminism which links the destruction of women’s traditional role as agricultural producers to both female disempowerment and environmental degradation. In the West, this movement has been criticized as mythicizing women, but you’ll find none of that here. Shiva’s writing is deeply rooted in the struggle of small-holder farmers in northern India and the Punjab, where she grew up, and her proposals are as pragmatic as they are fierce.
“Staying Alive” is a hard book to describe because it is so forcefully articulate, and covers a remarkable breadth of topics. The best word for it is probably “virtuosic.” Building from theoretical critiques of modern development and modern science in the first two chapters, the book enters a discussion of the ways that changes in agricultural practice, particularly GMOs and the “Green Revolution,” have hurt the poor—especially poor women. Shiva’s approach, although an intense criticism of the entire establishment of modern agriculture, is nonviolent—she advocates re-establishing a “feminine principle” in agriculture and development which respects traditional knowledge and develops natural resources over long periods of time. Shiva links these principles to Hindu cosmology, making an argument for a feminine ethos of “Prakrti,” in agricultural production, which respects both traditional beliefs and traditional ecological practices.
Shiva is an activist and a radical, and her work can be challenging to adjust to—it can be easy to perceive some of her claims as overblown, particularly when she discusses her zero-tolerance stance on GMOs, or her wholesale interpretation of science as misogynistic. Some critical thought is helpful when reading these claims. However, Shiva’s overall approach is quite valuable, and is well worth considering. There are major undiscussed problems inside the “progress” of modern development, and there are under-studied alternatives to dominant economic and agricultural practices. Combining elements of feminism, conservationism, and human rights can have a very productive impact on the debate, and Shiva’s perspective is a valuable contribution on the side of small-holder farmers, rural women, and traditional agriculture.
“Staying Alive” is a hard book to describe because it is so forcefully articulate, and covers a remarkable breadth of topics. The best word for it is probably “virtuosic.” Building from theoretical critiques of modern development and modern science in the first two chapters, the book enters a discussion of the ways that changes in agricultural practice, particularly GMOs and the “Green Revolution,” have hurt the poor—especially poor women. Shiva’s approach, although an intense criticism of the entire establishment of modern agriculture, is nonviolent—she advocates re-establishing a “feminine principle” in agriculture and development which respects traditional knowledge and develops natural resources over long periods of time. Shiva links these principles to Hindu cosmology, making an argument for a feminine ethos of “Prakrti,” in agricultural production, which respects both traditional beliefs and traditional ecological practices.
Shiva is an activist and a radical, and her work can be challenging to adjust to—it can be easy to perceive some of her claims as overblown, particularly when she discusses her zero-tolerance stance on GMOs, or her wholesale interpretation of science as misogynistic. Some critical thought is helpful when reading these claims. However, Shiva’s overall approach is quite valuable, and is well worth considering. There are major undiscussed problems inside the “progress” of modern development, and there are under-studied alternatives to dominant economic and agricultural practices. Combining elements of feminism, conservationism, and human rights can have a very productive impact on the debate, and Shiva’s perspective is a valuable contribution on the side of small-holder farmers, rural women, and traditional agriculture.
wild_and_freckless's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
batsnlove's review
4.0
Vandana Shiva really has been carrying the eco feminist movement since the start and I’m always grateful to read and hear her words. My education would not exist without her
rhythimashinde's review
5.0
Everything the current approach towards 'sustainability' (read, green washing) actually misses: support and listen the locals.
lauradearana's review against another edition
3.0
Me parece flipante que este libro tenga ya treinta años.
Me ha gustado mucho la forma de informar, el toque íntimo de reproducir palabras emocionantes de campesinas y activistas.
Es un ensayo muy empírico y eso me ha gustado, es difícil encontrar eso en un ensayo social.
Aunque estoy muy de acuerdo en que la sociedad nace de los cuidados y que los cuidados han sido ocupación de las mujeres desde siempre, no creo que las mujeres entendamos mejor la naturaleza. Al menos, no por algo natural.
Tradicionalmente, hemos estado siempre al cuidado de la familia. Y si entiendes la naturaleza como tu familia, pues sí, la hemos cuidado nosotras. Pero por algo cultural.
Por eso no me ha gustado esa distinción entre campesinos y mujeres. Como si las mujeres que cuidan la tierra no fueran campesinas, sino mujeres siendo mujeres.
Esta idea me parece algo limitante, pero también le tengo en cuenta el tiempo que tiene al libro.
Me ha gustado mucho la forma de informar, el toque íntimo de reproducir palabras emocionantes de campesinas y activistas.
Es un ensayo muy empírico y eso me ha gustado, es difícil encontrar eso en un ensayo social.
Aunque estoy muy de acuerdo en que la sociedad nace de los cuidados y que los cuidados han sido ocupación de las mujeres desde siempre, no creo que las mujeres entendamos mejor la naturaleza. Al menos, no por algo natural.
Tradicionalmente, hemos estado siempre al cuidado de la familia. Y si entiendes la naturaleza como tu familia, pues sí, la hemos cuidado nosotras. Pero por algo cultural.
Por eso no me ha gustado esa distinción entre campesinos y mujeres. Como si las mujeres que cuidan la tierra no fueran campesinas, sino mujeres siendo mujeres.
Esta idea me parece algo limitante, pero también le tengo en cuenta el tiempo que tiene al libro.
haniah's review
4.0
This book is nonstop information!! She begins the book with themes of anticolonialism, intersectional feminism, and environmentalism and does not let you breathe until the last page. My only complaint is I found her book to be lacking evidence (simply quoting general, not specific anecdotal evidence) and it was so dense that it felt like one long rant. But I loved the topics covered so I really didn't mind.