Ecofeminism as Environmental Ethics: Development, Knowledge, and Survival in Vandana Shiva's Staying Alive

Abstract: The escalating ecological crises of the contemporary world have compelled scholars within environmental humanities to critically reassess dominant models of development and human–nature relations. Ecofeminism, as an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, offers a powerful lens to interrogate the intertwined exploitation of nature and marginalized human communities under patriarchal and capitalist systems. This article presents a critical and theoretically grounded reading of Vandana Shiva’s Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development, positioning the text as a foundational intervention in postcolonial ecofeminist discourse. Drawing upon ecofeminist philosophy, environmental humanities, and postcolonial theory, the study examines Shiva’s critique of reductionist science, Western developmentalism, and capitalist patriarchy, while foregrounding women’s subsistence knowledge and biodiversity-based practices as alternative ecological epistemologies. The article argues that Shiva articulates an ethics of survival rooted in ecological plurality, care, and sustainability, challenging anthropocentric and extractivist paradigms. Despite critical debates surrounding essentialism in ecofeminism, Staying Alive remains a vital text for reimagining environmentally just and ethically sustainable futures. Keywords: Ecofeminism; Environmental Humanities; Vandana Shiva; Sustainable Development; Gender and Ecology