Woman-Nature Connection in Camille T. Dungy’s Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden (2023): A Constructive Stone in The Ecowomanist Discussion

Authors : Wafa Merahbaoui, Salim Kerboua

Pages : 117-136

Doi:10.31126/akrajournal.1667642

View : 59 | Download : 35

Publication Date : 2025-09-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The present paper investigates the issue of woman-nature connection through the theoretical framework of ecowomanism. The portrayal of women\\\'s connection to nature has long been a subject of debate within ecofeminism, the first critical approach to address the unjust practices towards women and nature. Nonetheless, while ecofeminism is one of the foundational frameworks upon which eco-womanism was built, it overlooked the concerns of Black women and their ecological experiences. Hence, ecowomanism has emerged in reaction to the limitations identified within ecofeminism. Ecowomanism, while similar to ecofeminism, introduces a distinct and more involved discourse that moves beyond earlier debates. The analysis conducted in this article reveals that women of African descent and their communities have an empowering connection with the earth; a connection that has various dimensions: inclusive, spiritual, remedial, epistemological, and even paradoxical. They are both a part of the web of life which interconnects humanity, nature and the divine. In order to examine these findings, the discussion is directed towards Camille T. Dungy\\\'s memoir, Soil: The Story of a Black Mother\\\'s Garden (2023) as a literary work by an African American female writer that echoes and exemplifies such empo-wering multi-dimensional connections. Through detailed thematic and textual an-alysis, the article examines how the author views gardening as more than a physical act, but an act of resistance, personal growth, and connection to the earth.
Keywords : Afrika Kökenli Kadınlar, Ekokadıncılık, Çok Boyutlu Bağlantılar, Doğa, Toprak

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