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5
Trailer
On an autumn day in the early 2000s, we were two researchers sitting in the livingroom of a farmhouse in Norway. We had arrived to interview a man on this farm,
because he represented the landowners in a reference group set up to ensure local
representation in policy-making concerning the proposed establishment of a new conservation area. His wife came in to serve us coffee and cake. We invited her to join the
conversation, and found that she had interesting thoughts about impacts of the new
plans, and that she expressed herself eloquently.
Before we left, we discovered that the wife was the actual owner of the farm and its
outfields. She did most of the work on the farm, while her husband held another fulltime job in the nearby town. Nonetheless, it was her husband who had been appointed
to the local reference group on behalf of the landowners. The establishment of the conservation area was considered to be of great importance to the municipality. The reference group was seen as the principal channel for local views in the process. All actors
behind the appointment of the group emphasized that it ought to provide a good representation of the citizens. However, it so happened that not a single woman was present
in the group.
Our first reaction was that this case must be a rare coincidence of lack of gender
representation in Norway. Nevertheless, it evoked our interest in looking into the status
of gender equality in the conservation and environment sector.
Overview
Feminist political ecologies combine elements of feminist thinking and political
ecology. In this chapter, we continue the focus on conservation from 7 Chap. 4.
Studies in countries in the Global South might tend to reveal large gender inequalities
in policy-making on questions about conservation. In countries in the Global North,
however, many take it for granted that women have gained a high degree of equity in
policy-making in all fields. Is this so?
Apart from the Norwegian case, in this chapter we also present cases from
Senegal, India and Nepal.
5.1 Expectations of Gender Equality in Local Conservation
Politics in Norway
There are many reasons to expect Norway to be at the very top of the list of countries with true gender equality in local politics on environmental issues. Some of
these are discussed below.
For many years, sustainable development as well as gender equality in politics
have been important topics in Norway. Gro Harlem Brundtland received world
attention in 1987 when she presented the report from the work of the World
Commission on Environment and Development, also called the Brundtland
Commission. The report, ‘Our Common Future’, argued for sustainable development. As the Prime Minister of Norway, Brundtland had also been in world news
Chapter 5 · Gender and Power: Feminist Political Ecologies
5
Trailer
On an autumn day in the early 2000s, we were two researchers sitting in the livingroom of a farmhouse in Norway. We had arrived to interview a man on this farm,
because he represented the landowners in a reference group set up to ensure local
representation in policy-making concerning the proposed establishment of a new conservation area. His wife came in to serve us coffee and cake. We invited her to join the
conversation, and found that she had interesting thoughts about impacts of the new
plans, and that she expressed herself eloquently.
Before we left, we discovered that the wife was the actual owner of the farm and its
outfields. She did most of the work on the farm, while her husband held another fulltime job in the nearby town. Nonetheless, it was her husband who had been appointed
to the local reference group on behalf of the landowners. The establishment of the conservation area was considered to be of great importance to the municipality. The reference group was seen as the principal channel for local views in the process. All actors
behind the appointment of the group emphasized that it ought to provide a good representation of the citizens. However, it so happened that not a single woman was present
in the group.
Our first reaction was that this case must be a rare coincidence of lack of gender
representation in Norway. Nevertheless, it evoked our interest in looking into the status
of gender equality in the conservation and environment sector.
Overview
Feminist political ecologies combine elements of feminist thinking and political
ecology. In this chapter, we continue the focus on conservation from 7 Chap. 4.
Studies in countries in the Global South might tend to reveal large gender inequalities
in policy-making on questions about conservation. In countries in the Global North,
however, many take it for granted that women have gained a high degree of equity in
policy-making in all fields. Is this so?
Apart from the Norwegian case, in this chapter we also present cases from
Senegal, India and Nepal.
5.1 Expectations of Gender Equality in Local Conservation
Politics in Norway
There are many reasons to expect Norway to be at the very top of the list of countries with true gender equality in local politics on environmental issues. Some of
these are discussed below.
For many years, sustainable development as well as gender equality in politics
have been important topics in Norway. Gro Harlem Brundtland received world
attention in 1987 when she presented the report from the work of the World
Commission on Environment and Development, also called the Brundtland
Commission. The report, ‘Our Common Future’, argued for sustainable development. As the Prime Minister of Norway, Brundtland had also been in world news
Chapter 5 · Gender and Power: Feminist Political Ecologies