| Sumario: | Systemic forces of power are deeply embedded in areas of ecological extraction. As such, it is imperative that theoretical stances employed to frame research of extraction centre intersections of power and the subsequent impacts for communities. To do so, this paper offers the convergence of ecofeminist and decolonial theory; a decolonial ecofeminism, as an complimentary paradigmatic framework to engage in critical research surrounding topics of gender, ecology and coloniality. Through a case study of a recent research project of gender and extraction in the Dominican Republic, this theoretical paper demonstrates the possibilities of a decolonial ecofeminism to situate women's narratives of extraction within systems of power, illustrating the severity of gendered experiences caused and perpetuated by open-pit mining. This paper provides a thorough overview of decolonial and ecofeminist theories respectively, including key theorists, main tenets and significance for critical research. Further, the compatibility of these theories is revealed, establishing suitability for theoretical convergence to complement existing conceptual understandings. Through decolonial ecofeminism as a paradigmatic contribution, this work strives to build on existing debates surrounding coloniality and gender, exposing the exploitation of nature and women as neocolonial, capitalist violence, and enhancing opportunities for scholarly activism, disruption and resistance.
|