Finding Common Ground: an Eco-Feminist Reading of Christa Wolf's Work
Location
Massey Board Room
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
15-9-2009 5:30 PM
Description
Many ideas expressed in the work of the German author Christa Wolf can be compared fruitfully with central tenets of American eco-feminism. Wolf, arguably the former GDR's best known writer, often posited in her texts a socialist vision for a future society that was based on cooperation, community, and recognition of the intrinsic value of each individual. Such a vision corresponds closely to the ecofeminist concept of a partnership-based society that advances communication and mutual respect; pursues the development of life-sustaining rather than life-destroying technologies; embraces life's connecting spirit; and emphasizes relationships rather than hierarchies, linking rather than ranking. In my presentation, I will examine works that Wolf has written over a span of more than thirty years including several penned since German unification-thereby demonstrating the ongoing relevance that her ideas hold for eco-feminism today.
Deborah Janson is an associate professor of German in West Virginia University's Department of Foreign Languages. Her current scholarly interests focus on GDR and post-Wende literature, including the theme of national and personal identity in works by minority and East German writers. She is also currently writing about Christa Wolf and has published articles on works from the German Enlightenment and Romantic periods and on German literature from an eco-feminist perspective.
Recommended Citation
Janson, Deborah, "Finding Common Ground: an Eco-Feminist Reading of Christa Wolf's Work" (2009). Humanities Symposium. 8.
https://repository.belmont.edu/humanities_symposium/2009/2009/8
Finding Common Ground: an Eco-Feminist Reading of Christa Wolf's Work
Massey Board Room
Many ideas expressed in the work of the German author Christa Wolf can be compared fruitfully with central tenets of American eco-feminism. Wolf, arguably the former GDR's best known writer, often posited in her texts a socialist vision for a future society that was based on cooperation, community, and recognition of the intrinsic value of each individual. Such a vision corresponds closely to the ecofeminist concept of a partnership-based society that advances communication and mutual respect; pursues the development of life-sustaining rather than life-destroying technologies; embraces life's connecting spirit; and emphasizes relationships rather than hierarchies, linking rather than ranking. In my presentation, I will examine works that Wolf has written over a span of more than thirty years including several penned since German unification-thereby demonstrating the ongoing relevance that her ideas hold for eco-feminism today.
Deborah Janson is an associate professor of German in West Virginia University's Department of Foreign Languages. Her current scholarly interests focus on GDR and post-Wende literature, including the theme of national and personal identity in works by minority and East German writers. She is also currently writing about Christa Wolf and has published articles on works from the German Enlightenment and Romantic periods and on German literature from an eco-feminist perspective.
Comments
Convo: AL
Refreshments to follow 6:30-7:15 p.m.