Vandana Shiva

Staying Alive

1. IDEA 1

   Development harmed women and nature

   Shiva, an Indian physicist and activist, argues that Western-style development, which she calls maldevelopment, has damaged both nature and women in the Global South. She sees the two harms as closely linked.

2. IDEA 2

   A feminine principle sustains life

   Shiva describes the feminine principle, drawing on Indian ideas of Prakriti, as a force of creativity and care in nature. In her view, this principle is neglected by modern development, which treats nature as raw material rather than a living source of life.

3. IDEA 3

   Women know the forests

   Shiva argues that rural Indian women hold deep knowledge of forests and their uses. In her account, their daily work of gathering fuel, fodder and food gives them detailed knowledge that outside experts often overlook.

All 8 ideas from Staying Alive →