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    The dangers of masculine technological optimism: Why feminist, antiracist values are essential for social justice, economic justice, and climate justice


    Stephens, Jennie C. (2024) The dangers of masculine technological optimism: Why feminist, antiracist values are essential for social justice, economic justice, and climate justice. Environmental Values, 33 (1). pp. 1-13. ISSN 0963-2719

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    Abstract

    Responding to the climate crisis requires social and economic innovation—because climate change is a symptom of patriarchal capitalist systems that are concentrating—rather than distributing—wealth and power. Despite the need for social and economic innovation, technological innovation continues to be prioritized in climate policy and climate investments. This paper reviews the dangers of technological optimism in climate policy by exploring its links to patriarchal systems and masculinity. The disproportionate focus on science and technology emerges from and reinforces “climate isolationism,” a term that I use to refer to the common framing of climate change as an isolated discrete, scientific problem in need of technological solutions. This framing stems from assumptions of patriarchal white-male conceptions of privilege and power that evolve from a colonizing and controlling mindset. Masculine technological optimism is dangerous because it is exclusive, it minimizes the need for social change and social innovation, and it is ineffective in catalyzing inclusive societal transformation. This paper argues that embracing feminist, antiracist values is necessary for transformative climate policies, economic justice, and climate justice.
    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: Feminism; masculine; climate isolationism; gender; climate; technological optimism;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, ICARUS
    Item ID: 18891
    Identification Number: 10.1177/09632719231208752
    Depositing User: Jennie Stephens
    Date Deposited: 17 Sep 2024 09:51
    Journal or Publication Title: Environmental Values
    Publisher: SAGE Publications
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    URI: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/18891
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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