Nisreen Mazzawi
Nisreen is an anthropologist and feminist activist. She works as a independent lecturer, consultant and trainer on initiatives promoting social, economic, and environmental justice in Palestinian society in Israel. Her professional experience includes managing and developing projects within civil society organizations, with a focus on human rights, democracy, environment and education for justice.
Blogging since 2008.
The Blog: Sanasel
I began my career as an environmental activist, embracing an ecofeminist perspective. In Jewish circles, I was often expected to speak only about Arabs and Arab women, while in Arab circles, environmental issues were frequently dismissed as concerns of the white privileged. Seeking to challenge this divide, I turned to independent writing in 2008.
For several years, my blog was titled Environmental Issues from a Political, Social, Economic, and Feminist Perspective. It was later renamed Sanasel—the Arabic word for agricultural terraces. The name reflects the terraced farming system, in which diverse plots of land are connected through the natural flow of water from one terrace to the next, creating a sustainable agricultural ecosystem that maximize utility of water, preserves the soil and prevents erosion.
For me, this system serves as a metaphor for the inseparable relationship between environmental, political, social, economic, and feminist issues. Like the terraces themselves, these dimensions sustain one another, and any attempt to isolate one from the others risks undermining the integrity of the whole.
Feminist Approach
Feminism encompasses a wide range of perspectives, with significant differences among them, including radical, liberal, socialist, ecofeminist, religious, and other traditions. The feminist approach adopted by me is grounded in opposition to all forms of violence, oppression, and hierarchy.
This approach does not begin from a gender binary, yet it does not ignore the ways in which gender shapes social and political realities. Rather than focusing solely on the pursuit of equality, it challenges all forms of discrimination and domination.
My feminist perspective extends beyond local concerns to engage with global issues, based on the understanding that the local and the global are deeply interconnected. It does not treat gender issues as inherently feminist in themselves, but understands them as part of broader political, economic and, social systems.
The Concept of Liberation
I understand liberation as freedom from all forms of discrimination and oppression. It is liberation from pollution, racism, slavery, exploitation, and every system of domination that undermines human dignity and justice.
The Economic Approach
I adopt an ecological economics perspective, which views the pursuit of endless economic growth on a finite planet as a fundamental driver of environmental catastrophe.
From this perspective, socialist and liberal capitalist economies do not fundamentally differ in their relationship with the land. While they may diverge in their approaches to property rights and the ownership or control of the means of production, both are ultimately based on patterns of exploitation and resource depletion that exceed the Earth's ecological limits.
The Political Approach
I adopt an anti-colonial orientation and opposes global monocultural hegemony. This approach is grounded in a critique of systems of domination and cultural homogenization produced through colonial and global power structures.
The Social Approach
The blog is grounded in a commitment to human dignity, the sanctity of life for all living beings, and the sanctity of the universe as a whole
--------------------
The blog is primarily written in Arabic, using a simple, direct, and accessible style aimed at effectively reaching its intended audience.
It is based on the belief that knowledge accumulated over the years can be meaningful and impactful when it is shared openly and in an accessible form. Blogging is one of the ways through which this knowledge is communicated and made available to others.
The articles published on the blog are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License. Any commercial use of the content requires prior coordination with the author.
The Cover Photo
The blog’s cover photo features the terraced landscapes of the Palestinian village of Battir. The photograph was taken by Abby Zimet. More information about Battir can be found here and here.
Support the Blog
Your contribution to supporting independent free writing, helping it continues, is highly appreciated. Donations can be made via PalPay through the link provided.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق