World-renowned Environmentalist.
Feminist. Farmers’ Rights Advocate.
Food Science and Policy Activist.
Vandana Shiva at Vassar
March 6, 2013
Dr. Vandana Shiva is known for her work on GM foods, indigenous
rights to seed sovereignty, ecofeminism, farmers’ rights, and protection of the earth’s resources. Author of twenty-three books and
hundreds of articles, Shiva has become a global figure. Her awards
include the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative
Nobel Prize), the Global 500 Award of the United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Earth Day International
Award, among many others. The Guardian (U.K.) included her in
their list of the 100 most influential feminists in 2011.
Shiva’s passion for ecological sustainability began in the 1970’s
with the Chipko Movement, which became the ground for seeing
the links between the earth and the provisioning of food, water,
and energy for the poor, as well as the links between women and
ecology. This led Shiva to develop a philosophy of ecofeminism
and organize the movement “Diverse Women for Diversity,” which
she views as one expression of combining women’s rights, nature’s
rights, and the rights of the Third World, enacting her vision of the
interconnections between cultural and biological diversity.
Photo, courtesy of Kartikey Shiva
After earning a Ph.D. in physics, Shiva focused on interdisciplinary
work and founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology
and Ecology. In 1987, Shiva founded Navdanya to increase understanding about the relationship between democracy, intellectual
property, and food security, and also to promote seed saving as an
alternative to corporate patenting and genetically engineered seeds.
Half of the world’s population is a victim of structural
hunger and food injustice in today’s dominant design for food.
We have had hunger in the past, but it was caused by external
factors - wars and natural disasters… Today’s hunger is
permanent and global. It is hunger by design…
— Shiva, Common Dreams
The Multidisciplinary Learning-Living Community on Food
presents:
Making Peace with the Earth
Shifting to Feminist Economics,
Politics, and Culture
A lecture by Dr. Vandana Shiva
March 6, 5:00pm, Villard Room, Vassar College
Sponsored by the College Committee on Sustainability, Feminist Alliance,
Grassroots Alliance for Alternative Politics, South Asian Students Alliance,
Slow Food Vassar, Vassar Greens, Vassar Experimental Garden, Environmental
Studies, Science, Technology & Society, Women’s Studies, Philosophy, Political
Science, Asian Studies, Office of the Dean of the Faculty, the Multidisciplinary
Learning-Living Community on Food.
Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on
accessibility should contact the Campus Activities Office, (845) 437-5370.
February 21 Earth to Table Cooking Demonstration,
1:00PM & 3:00PM, College Center Atrium
February 21 Dirt! The Movie, 7:30PM, Sanders 13
(VEG, Vassar Greens)
February 28 Earth to Table Cooking Demonstration,
1:00PM & 3:00PM, College Center Atrium
March 2
Slow Food Second Annual Community Benefit Dinner:
The Queens Galley Soup Kitchen, 6:30PM-8:00PM,
Aula. Seating is limited. For tickets & more
information, please email vassar@slowfoodusa.org
March 4
Food, Water, and Human Rights Potluck
and Open Mic, 5:00PM-7:00PM, Aula
March 5
The Dying Fields (film on farmer suicides in India),
7:30-8:30PM, Rocky 300 (SASA)
March 6: A Day with Vandana Shiva
9:30-10:15
Tour of Poughkeepsie Farm and Ecological Preserve
10:30-12:00 Putting Our Heads Together: Community Action
Workshop, College Center, MPR
1:30-2:30
CIA Roundtable Discussion with students,
CIA, Renaissance Lounge (all students welcome)
3:00-4:30 Chat and Chaat: An Open Conversation with Dr. Shiva,
College Center, MPR
5:00pm Lecture: Making Peace with the Earth: Shifting
to Feminist Economics, Politics, and Culture,
Villard Room
All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted
For further information and updates go to: pages.vassar.edu/mllc2012