Women, Subalterns, and Ecologies in South and Southeast Asian Women’s Fiction. By Chitra Sankaran

Abstract

The planetary ecological crisis has reached a magnitude beyond human comprehension. The acceleration of denuded ecological patterns and the lack of a sensitive, mutual relational sustenance between the personal and planetary remain pressing issues that demand immediate attention. While the emergent field of environmental humanities calls for a reimagining of alternative ecological futures, numerous impacted, but prolific voices still remain muffled in discussions of these critical global ecological issues. Chitra Sankaran’s Women, Subalterns, and Ecologies in South and Southeast Asian Women’s Fiction focuses on the diverse voices of South and Southeast Asian Women’s ecological fiction. A groundbreaking book, by and on women (and subalterns), Sankaran’s study compellingly foregrounds a powerful range of sociocultural connections between humans and nature. The book presents a vibrant corpus of more than thirty econarratives by women writers from twelve countries. Sankaran’s field-defining book provides a nuanced understanding of the ecofeminist consciousness of two significant regions of Asia.