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Elizabeth G. Sullivan Memorial Collection
on Ecofeminism and Related Materials
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   Introduction

by Susan Acampora, M.L.S., M.S., M.S.
Systems Librarian
Mother Irene Gill Library
The College of New Rochelle
December 2007 revised
 

 History of the Collection

     The College of New Rochelle Gill Library is proud to offer a rich variety of resources related to the study of ecology and feminism through The Elizabeth G. Sullivan Memorial Collection on Ecofeminism and Related Materials.  This collection was begun at Gill Library in January 1989 by Nancy Sullivan Murray, a graduate of CNR, SAS – 1950, for her sister.  Elizabeth, also a graduate of CNR's School of Arts and Sciences in 1948, is fondly remembered as a lover of nature and an inspirational woman who touched and influenced many lives.  Nancy explained, “In 1951, Liz founded the Paraclete Book Center, which has been an oasis through the years for scholars, liturgists, theologians, et al.  She, herself was a scholar, teacher and lover of learning".    With the intention of perpetuating Elizabeth’s oasis, and with an equal commitment to the study and support of women, and the environment during these critical times, CNR Library adds to this vital collection each year.  Thanks to on-going support from family and friends of Elizabeth, the College, and the Library, the Ecofeminism collection continues to take root and blossom into a significant source of materials relevant to researchers across many disciplines.
 

About Ecofeminism    

     Ecofeminism, sometimes referred to as Ecological Feminism, is a field of study and a focus of social activism that evolved through the merging of insight and inquiry from the feminist and environmental movements.   The term “ecofeminism”, was originally conceived by the author, Françoise d'Eaubonne, a French feminist and activist, in her books Le féminisme ou la mort, 1974 (Feminism or Death) and Ecologie-feminisme:revolution ou mutation (Eco-feminism: Revolution or Mutation?)  It has since been employed by a diverse range of authors and has come to serve as a kind of umbrella term to encompass an eclectic expanse of work. 

    Ecofeminist thinking is grounded in the position that social and political forces such as patriarchy, capitalism, imperialism have resulted in the domination and oppression of women and the exploitation of the earth, as well other injustices such as racism, social inequity, speciesism.    Ecofeminists explore women’s relationship to nature and contend that the adoption of feminine sensibilities can serve to heal society and restore balance to the natural world.

     Other feminist and environmental philosophies often intersect with ecological feminism and ecofeminists may be found among scholars, activists, poets, writers, artists, philosophers, religious leaders, naturalists, and more.  While their work is diverse, they share in common a profound concern for preserving the integrity and inter-connectedness of all life.
 

About the Collection and this guide

     Gill Library's collection of ecofeminism and related materials encompasses classic Ecofeminist texts, seminal works out of which ecofeminist philosophies have evolved, and many related materials that share ecofeminist ideologies.  For a deeper understanding of the relevance of early and related scholarship to the field of ecofeminism, an excellent report by Linda Vance: Remapping the Terrain: Books on Ecofeminism. Choice. (June 1993) pp1585+ is highly recommended as it provides a retrospective annotated bibliography and and insightful and descriptive essay.    The diverse resources of the collection reflect the comprehensive nature of ecofeminist interest and concern. 

To browse the Collection, two links are provided:

1- The Ecofeminism Collection - Live Search - This link is a live up-to-date access point to a regularly updated list of the materials in the collection as they are added, and arranged alphabetically by title.

2-  The Bibliography by Subject Division - This link (currently under construction) will take to you a 2007 bibliography of the material in the ecofeminism collection arranged by subject subdivisions.  The purpose of this list is to enable users to immediately see the inter-disciplinary layers within the collection and to allow for ease of subject access.

Additional Resources

In addition to the collection, provided here is a list of selected websites related to ecofeminism. 

For more information about the collection or for assistance with research on Ecofeminism, please feel free to contact Susan Acampora, Gill Library, sacampora@cnr.edu, (914) 654 5353.

Sincerely,

Susan Acampora

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works cited:

 d'Eaubonne, Françoise.  Le féminisme ou la mort, 1974 (Feminism or Death).  Paris, P. Horay, 1974.

d'Eaubonne, Françoise.  Ecologie-feminisme:revolution ou mutation (Eco-feminism: Revolution or Mutation?) Paris : Éditions A.T.P., 1978.

Vance, Linda.  "Remapping the Terrain: Books on Ecofeminism" Choice. (June 1993) pp1585+