The Research Of Vandana Shiva’s The Third World Ecofeminism

Since the period of the mid and late 20th century, there has been a series of problems along with the rapid development of global economy:the deterioration of the human environment, resource depletion, ecological destruction, etc. In order to solve such problems, many environmental movements are launched all over the world. Vandana Shiva, the representative of the third world ecofeminism, provides a new view to better understand and address the environmental problems in the world.Shiva analyzes the development problems in Indian from the ecofeminism view, combines with the experience in practice, bases on local knowledge and cultural system, as well as inherites the core theory of Western ecofeminism so that she forms the ideological system of the Third World ecofeminism. She criticizes the capitalistic development mode, and believes that it is the capitalism patriarchy and the "binary" traditional way of thinking that lead to the exploitation and oppression to women and nature. The "catch-up-and-surpass development" that emulates the development mode in western countries cannot be realized because the mode in the west is an indirect and covert strategy of colonial aggression. Shiva also discloses and criticizes the globalization from the view of the Third World and feminism and holds that globalization brings great harm to the women, ecology, culture etc. and it is a new round of colonial course in nature.Shiva advocates that a new development mode should be established, in which the increase of economy and the abundance and material cannot be the only pursuit of social development. The role of female and the mutual respect between male and female should be paid more attention during the process of development. Gender discrimination should be eliminated. Development should base on national conditions and explore the sustainable development mode in which human and nature can have a harmonious coexistence. Although Shiva’s thought is radical and has some Utopia color, it makes an innovative contribution to the whole ideological system of ecofeminism, especially the female liberation and the ecological environmental protection in the Third World countries. Our countries is in the critical period of social transformation and faces various development problems. Shiva’s thought provides a new angle to introspect the problems existed in the development process and has a reference value for our country’s ecological civilization and the construction of harmonious society.